A life learned at Aincrad
by hflores74
Summary: Kirito begins to play a game, but he ends up learning about life and finding that love finds a way to make a nightmare seem not so bad.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

As he remembered the world of Aincrad was the place he felt truly at home. During the brief time of the Beta period he was truly alive. The 100 players may not have seen him but every one of them knew of Kirito. During the Beta at the last month they held a tournament and in that tournament 90 players fought duels. Of all the people in it Kirito was the only one to come to the end of it without a single loss. His perfect record declared him the Champion.  
The prize for the Champion was an extra month were he could experience the feeling and life as one of the monsters in the game. What people did not know is that the monsters had diferent societies between each monster species, but for the most part were cordial and sociable to each other. Some saw the players as invaders to their peaceful world, other saw them as a challenge.  
Kirito lived as and worked as a monster for an entire month. He spent as a young child, all the way to adulthood. His monster parents could not be more proud of their son. As it turns out the monsters also held a tournament and Kirito once again was the Champion. But as the day of the first day of Sword Art Online he was happy to return in his home of Aincrad. But part of him wonders of his monster parents. Did they forget all about him? Will they remember him? or Will they try to kill me just as any other player.  
As he wondered and walked towards the fields he heard a voice, "Hey, wait a second. You are a Beta. Look I know that you don't know me but could you show me the ropes?" A guy just out of nowhere asked him to teach him how to play? Kirito could not believe it. But he did remember what his monster mom would say. 'Help those in need' "Oh, alright the name is Kirito, and you are?"  
"Thanks, my name is Klein." As the shock hands he explained the party formation process. He took a quick look at him and saw that he was not wearing any decent gear. "Hey, Klein have you thought at all how you want to fight? what role you want in a team?" Klein was surprised by the question ," Sure, I did. I want to become a super tough Tank Samurai!" Kirito could hardly believe what he heard and could almost imagine his monster dad laughing at such a remark.  
This looked like it would be a very long day. He took Klein to buy some gear, but he has no money. Figures, this was the first day. He still had some gear that could be used by a beginner, but had to level up to at least 5. He needed to get at least some gear, so he bough for him some new player gear and gave it to Klein. "Look if you work hard and make it to level 5 in say 2 hours i will give you a prize."  
"What is the prize?" Klein asked as if he would want to know if it was worth it. "Suprise. Its good but you have to listen to what I say." He formed a salute, "Yes, Sir!" They walked to the field the saw a Boar. Kirito watched as a lowly Boar was playing with Klein not even taking him seriously. "Damn it! Why the hell is this pig giving me a hard time?" Kirito flinched as he heard. Big mistake, amoung monsters there were clear things you do not do. And calling a boar who clearly was being friendly a pig was one of them. He charged right at him and hit him in the family jewels and left.  
"Look you just have to start the skill with the movement system. It will help you hit the target." Klein was still rolling in the grass. "Quit doing that it doesn't actually hurt." Klein looked at him and he realized that it was true. "Look it might be easy for you to understand, but i am new. I just don't get it!" He picked up a stone and went through the motions for the first skill. "Look you start the motion of the skill, and then let it build up, and when you feel it like the energy is at its highest let it explode." As he activated the skill the stone went flying and hit a boar on the rear. He charged at Kirito but kept him busy as Klein went through the motions and did feel it and used his first skill and killed the Boar in a single hit, "Alright. I should be a lot higher in level!" Kirito laughed, "What do you think you killed?" Klein looked confused and answered, "A mid boss at least!" He fell down on the grass laughing; you could almost tell that he was breathing pretty hard. "Hey, what so funny?" Klein asked almost looked hurt. "Boars are the equal to slimes in other RPG games. They are the lowest of the low." Klein looked disappointed, "Want to do some more?" Klein looked happy, "Sure thing!"  
As the hunt the last monster needed for level 5 for Klein he wondered if the lessons were the surprise. Kirito transferred his level 5 gear to Klein and imediatly put it on. He was one happy guy. "See told you that it would be worth it!" Klein, "Hey, man i know that you done a lot for me, want to meet a couple of my friends. I know that they would like to have you in their party." Kirito did not answer. It would not do for Klein to realize that he was not going all out, and that he had to still use a single skill. As party leader he could control what the other player saw. Klein could not know that he was much greater level than him, or what were his skills.  
"I know that Betas tend be solitary, but i have to log out in a minute for dinner. Send me a message if you change your mind" Klein said, as he pulled the main menu and was shocked!There was no log out button. He left he party, still no log out. "Hey, man what is the deal. Where is the log out?" Kirito did the same thing "Must be a bug. But they will find it soon. To have a bug this big on the first day is bad." Klein looked at him. "I hope so I have a pizza coming to my house. But isn't there a voice command or a move that you can do?"  
Kirito tried to remember and answered, "Other than the log out you can't even take off the nervegear, and the nerve gear will not run out of power. 30% of the weight of it is the battery." Klein looked less happy by the minute, he called the GM but no reply. There must over a thousand people calling for him. Just ask Klein and Kirito where going to try to figure out what was wrong a bell was heard cross the land.  
A brilliant blue light glowed over them and they appeared at the plaza. "What! a forced transport to the Start City?" Klein did not answer he was looking at the sky . "Look something is happening." Klein shouted. "Must be a message explaining what is happening." Kirito replied. A large part of it turned red and began to drip a thick and almost blood looking substance. After a little while the substance took the shape of a man they would recognize as the GM but something was wrong. "The GM has no face, if the player was female, the GM was a glass wearing woman, if the player was male, the GM was an old man looking like a wizard."

"Greetings and Welcome to my world. My name is Kayaba Akihiko. Many of you are wondering why you cannot find the log out button or is that a bug. Rest assured that I will explain everything. The missing Log Out button is not a bug but an actual feature of Sword Art Online. The only way to log out is for someone of you to beat the game." There where cries of anger, fear, and even some foul language. "The Betas could not do it, and they had a whole month to try. I don't even know how big this place is." Klein shouted next to Kirito. Kirito looked at him and placing a hand on his shoulder answered, "100 floors." Klein looked at him with fear. "How do you know?" Kirito looked at him calm, "I know because I was a Beta, remember." Kayaba continued.  
"The second part is that the resurrection system is permanently disabled. There is no resurrection after you die, and when you die here you will also die in the real world. A massive surge go through the nervegear and fry your brain, If the nervegear is turned off from the outside world or they attempt to remove it the brain destruction sequence will initialize." More angry shouts were heard. "He is lying, right Kirito!?" Kirito was thinking and said, "No, the nervegear sends information to our brain using the same method as another instrument. That was a microwave oven. If he sends a high enough microwaves it will make the water that our brain cells consist off vibrate and cook it." Klein did not say anything he was angry, afraid, and horrified. "Why would Kayaba do this!?" was heard from a player.  
"As of now 100 players did not believe my warning to the media and they are no longer part of this world or the real world. But worry not I made certain that all your bodies will be taken to a medical facility; I will pay and give care for your real bodies. All of you can relax and enjoy the game. As to why would i do this? It is very simple; I wanted to create a world, a world of beauty, wonder, and challenge. For too long did i see the next generation of people take their lives for granted and for to long did i see them not taking life seriously. This had to stop for the good of the entire world. "  
Everyone did not care about the world or anything other than themselves. Kayaba was sure of this fact. "This ends the opening tutorial for Sword Arts Online." Kirito immediately began to think like he learned as a monster. Resources were not infinite; the key to survival was growth. Become strong quickly and efficiently.  
He grabbed Klein and some scared looking girl and ran to a nearby alley. "Look in a matter of minutes the quests and monsters of this floor will be systematically wiped out. Our only chance is to leave now and head to the next town. We need to secure resources and begin building our strength, and before you even ask now we can take a large group. I know the route and that is why I can make a group of 3 anything bigger and we are not going to make it." The girl turned out was a rather nice looking young woman. Her blue hair and posture made her look like a fragile as a porcelain doll. She introduced her self as Sachi. Klein was trying hard to think of a way to convince Kirito to stay. Everything Kirito had said made absolute sense. "Look Kirito my friends are out on the plaza so I am going to go there, but before I go what is the deal with the mirror in my inventory?"  
"The mirror seems to be a reward for the introductory tutorial." He took out the mirror and used it, his avatar took different shape. It was how he looked in life. "How did they know what we look like in the real world?" They each began to think and they came to the same conclusion. "The nervegear setup and calibration." They each answered with a smile on their face. "I will stay and help my friends out there but you and Sachi feel free to go to the next town, I already imposed enough with having you teach me how to play. I will pass it on my friends, but be sure to stay alive Kirito. I might make a guild and invite you by then you will be a real tough guy."


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

It had been over 1 month since his return to Aincrad. In this time he did his best to teach Sachi as much as he could about combat. All they ever did in fact for the entire month is train, eat, sleep. The training had done wonders on her self-esteem, and the fact that she was getting stronger was easy to see from the way they both solo some of the village's side quests. Kirito was sure that if they kept at this pace she would be able to survive this place.

This went on and it seems that after awhile the monsters in the dungeon did not even feel like much of a challenge anymore. This could not continue because the dungeon were beginning to feel more like a chore than training. "Kirito do you know where the 1st floor boss is at?" Sachi asked as she finished the 20th wolf monster in the last training session. "Sure, I know where he is at, Kobold King is his name, and he is rather the perv come to think of it." Sachi was not sure what he meant by that but she was going to ask. That was the idea until Kirito continued, "See he has guards kobold guards to be more specific, but i call him perv because all his guards are female. He treats them like his private harem. I just don't want to think what he does with them when there is no one to challenge him."

Sachi could not understand how he knew that or if he was messing with her and made it all up. "So how do you know where he is?" Kirito simply smiled and while pointing in a direction, "I beat him once as a beta. His name is Jack, and if you can get his mind out of the gutter he is pretty normal guy, and that is if you can get his mind out of the gutter." Sachi began laughing as the two began to walk in the direction that Kirito pointed at.

60 minutes later they where standing in from of the door leading to the boss. Most people would push the door open, some would kick it open, but not Kirito he simply went up to it and knocked. And it seems like Kirito began to growl, hiss and bark at the door. Little did Sachi know what he was saying was, "Hey, Jack mind opening the door need to talk to you!" What happened next shocked Sachi as the door opened and she saw that Kirito was not kidding there was the Kobold King surrounded by his guards looking like they had done some heavy running.

Kirito began to make monster noises yet again and Sachi could have sworn that the Kobold King was laughing. After the brief exchange of growls and hisses. Kirito picked up his swords, two basic one handed swords. This told Sachi that the fight was about to start. "Did you two have a nice chat?" asked Sachi looking at Kirito. He simply smiled, "I sure did. I managed to catch up on things and told each other some funny jokes. I told you Jack is an alright guy if you can get his mind out of the gutter, oh and by the way he likes your shoes. Well lets gets this over with!" Sachi looked suprised, "Won't killing him ruin your friendship with him?" Kirito simply went after that guards and knocked some of the down. "He will respawn after a day or 2 nothing major. So will his harem for that matter."

Sachi and Kirito killed all the guards and had the boss at 50% HP that is when he switched strategies. His big sword came into view and Kirito was laughing as he evaded the hits. Jack needs to work on his speed was the thought that went through his mind. But as he began hitting harder and faster Sachi stood back and was doing her best to back Kirito up, but his speed was unreal. The boss exploded into a mass of polygons, and they both sat down to rest.

**-Meanwhile-**

A meeting was held in the town plaza. Several players were gathered together to discuss how to find and kill the floor boss. "Ok, thanks for showing up. My name is Diabel and I am a knight class." Someone was heard shouting, "There is no job system in this place!" Everyone burst out laughing. "Ok we are here to talk about the floor boss, the room the boss is in was just found a few moments ago. We need to form parties of 3 to 4 people so that we might have a chance to beat it."

Kibao decided to stand up and interrupt. "No, what we need is to set something straight! I know that there are betas here! I will not work with Betas unless they apologize and share with us all their loot! We all know that the Betas took over all the best spawning grounds and best quests. The selfish bastards did not care about anything else except their own growth and left most of us newbies to simply bit the dust!"

Agil was not liking what he heard, "Let me get this straight you want all the Betas here to give up their coin and items to compensate for the people that died? is that right?" Kibao simply smiled, 'Easy money coming my way!' was the only thing he was thinking. "Yea, if they want us to work with us, they have to pay for their selfishness and show that they can think about others not just themselves!" Agil took a small book from his inventory. "Do you have one of these guides? They are free from the item shops."

Kibao did not like where this was going so he simply nodded. "This guide is made using data that the Betas provide for free. As far as I can tell most people use this guide. So to put it in your own words they already have paid in full!" Kibao did not like this one bit, this was not what he wanted. He wanted to get some free items and col from the Betas without having to risk anything. "Now just a darn minute, I still say that they need to pay! a little data is not enough!"

As Agil was about to talk and announcement was heard.

**"Defeat of floor boss Kobold King confirmed, path to next floor is now open. 2nd floor city open to the public, Have a nice day!" **

The only thing that everyone was thinking was, "What the hell happened, Someone beat the boss while we were arguing on petty things!"

On the room where the floor boss was Kirito got up and helped Sachi to stand up. "So when the boss respawns we have to beat him again?" Kirito simply smiled, "No, he simply goes back to live in his hometown. I sure would like to visit him once in a while, don't know if I can though." Sachi was not sure if Kirito was joking or being sarcastic. "Anyways the path is open lets go to the 2nd floor and start training we still got 99 floors to go!"

Sachi could tell that Kirito definitely had some secrets, but if she earned his trust enough maybe, just maybe she would learn some of these secrets, but then again he might have a reason why to keep them secret. The two went ahead towards the portal and went to the 2nd floor.


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

As Kirito and Sachi went through and arrived at the 2nd floor the first thing they did was to look for a equipment shop. Since they had waited for so long for someone to take the initiative and defeat the Kobold King, they ended up grinding up a whole lot, and each had a very respective level. Kirito was level 15 and had fully mastered both his single sword and his twin blades skill set, his detection was pretty good, but could use some more practice. The battle healing was always active so always in practice. Sachi had mastered the single sword, and the lance techniques. She had a small amount experience in blacksmith, enough to maintain the equipment. But the one skill that she really tried to improve was her backlash technique. This technique was to return damage from an attack received, the menu said that a master can reflect damage 1,000x the damage that would have been received. Kirito joked around and told her if she mastered that skill she was going to be the dueling champion before to long.

The shop that they walked up to that saw offered what they needed was owned by a player. The sign at the door made Kirito not believe in the prices. The signed read, "Buy Cheap, Sell Cheap!" this had first made Kirito think this has to be a really bad joke, or a scam! If it was a joke he would laugh but god be with the shop owner if it was a scam. Because there would be hell to pay if it indeed was a scam.

As Kirito and Sachi walked in he was met by a very tall black man, who appeared to have his head clean shaven. "Welcome to my shop! Here to buy or sell?" Kirito looked at the man and said, "Need some better swords and armor. I got a few wolf pelts to sell what is the going rate for those?" The shop owner asked what level were they and they just showed him their character status window.

The poor shop owner nearly fell down from the shock. They were at least 7 level over him. "Well I got 3 Damascus steel long swords, and a 2 Damascus armor sets that would be around 10,000 col for the swords and 20,000 for the armor. Regular wolf pelts go for 250 col, but what i really pay for is the moonless night wolf pelt, that is 1,000 each. I hear that monster is really tough to kill and to find. The name is Agil, by your status windows you are Kirito and Sachi. Right?"

Kirito nodded, Sachi smiled. "So how would you like to pay for the gear?" Agil thinking that he pretty much going to make a bundle even if he did buy their regular wolf pelts. If he knew what Kirito was able to do, he would know how wrong he was. "I think 30 wolf pelts would just about cover it." Kirito motioned to get the pelts ready to transfer to Agil. "Just a second regular wolf pelts would not cover the price of this purchase." Kirito simply looked at him and smiled, "Who said anything about these being regular pelts."

Agil could not believe what he was hearing, "Look, you want me to believe that 2 players killed 30 moonless wolves all by yourselves? will you stop kidding around!" Kirito was now mad, he dare him."If I don't have the 30 moonless wolf pelts you keep what is in the trade window and we get nothing. But if I do have it then you have to add 20 teleport crystals free on charge. what say you Agil feeling lucky?" He was accepted, and as the window appeared all he could do was stutter as he accepted the trade. Kirito did have the moonless wolf pelts. Agil thinking that his blacksmith friends could make some nice gear with that kind of pelt he asked, "Do you happen to have any more for sale?" Agil simply waited to hear, "How many can you buy?" He looked at Kirito and said that he could by 60 of them no problem. "Just 60 well i guess other people can buy the rest.."

Agil was shocked yet again, "How many pelts do you have?" Kirito simply showed him his inventory and when he saw it was hard to believe, 200 moonless wolf pelts. "You have got to be kidding me! Did you start a moonless wolf ranch or what!" Kirito laughed again and told him he and Sachi spent a lot of time in caves on the first floor.

Agil ended up buying every single one of those pelts, but only if they promised that they would come to him first for any future purchasing needs. Sachi agreed to that in a heart beat. They had money to stay at an inn and eat regular food, no more staying in caves and eating the same old scavenged wolf meat. After the 100th time the taste can be a bit boring.

Before they walked out they equipped their new items and they did a final check if they had gained any extra bonus stats. There was an increase to damage resistance on the armor and a +10% damage on the swords. I guess since they armor was a set they gained those effects.

They walked to a nearby Inn when they heard a person yelling as if drunk. "What the hell, I was going to make a bundle off those stinking Betas but no some bastards decided to beat the floor boss while the rest of us were having a meeting to beat that boss." Some orange members laughed, "Well too bad for you! See I told you that you should have joined our guild when we sent you the invite. Everyone will fear our guild, "The laughing coffins will be a living nightmare for these fools!"

Kibao simply sat down drinking from his mug some more. "If I ever find the guys who beat that floor boss I will take my losses from their hides!" PoH simply laughed, "Oh get over it already, there are other floor bosses, and many chances to make a killing." Some of the players and even some of the npcs did not like what that meant.

Kirito and Sachi sat at a table a few away from the orange players. "So they are a criminal guild. What could possibly make them do that?" Kirito simply began eating his meal. "Is this your first online game?" Sachi nodded. "Well in online games players tend to change. Some enjoy playing the bad guy and doing things they would never do irl. But Sword Art Online is not a game, it is out reality, killing here has consequences, and killing a player for fun is just plain murder. You heard that guy they practically announced that their guild was going to be a murderer only guild."

Sachi could not believe that she ever saw Kirito that angry before. They both ate their meals and decided to pay the 15% tip. As they walked out Sachi asked where they were headed. "Oh, nothing major just a small cemetary to hunt down some skeleton warriors. They drop black metal items. I think we can make a good amount with those and gain some exp not much but some."

3 guys from Laughing Coffin decided to follow the pair as they left the town. They believed that since they did not believe in murder they would be easy targets. Let them kill a few monsters and when they are weak killed them to get all their items and col. This was going to make them some money just from how shiny their gear was.

Kirito had used his single sword techniques to destroy 30 skeleton warriors and Sachi killed the last 20 before clearing the area, and having to wait 30 minutes for more to appear. They sat down. This made the poor Laughing Coffin members think that they were tired, why were they poor you ask. Because they had no idea who they were messing with.

Kirito blocked the first player attack, and kicked him against his two friends. "Wimps like you that don't like to kill are easy prey for us!" As he tried to attack Sachi something happened, the rebound damage was 10 times higher than she would have received, this made the laughing coffin member fall on his knees before seeing that he was in the red zone. Sachi finished him off and did not look that faced by it. "What the hell you have killing right? how could you kill my friend! You know what happens when you kill someone here!" Sachi simply said, "We are against murder, but killing in self-defense we have no problem doing that."

The other two attacked Kirito but they made a mistake thinking that he could only use 1 sword. In the time Sachi finished off the first player killer, he had equipped his 2nd sword. In the time they took to attack him he was countering the attack and killed the guy who attacked. "You bastard, how could you kill my friend! If you attack to kill then you are no better than us!" Kirito simply laughed a cold laugh, "So the murderer is crying because someone killed his accomplice, just how dumb can you be! Self-defense is allowed even irl, but if you leave with your tail between your legs and do not attack us you can leave here alive." He ran but as he ran, "The guild master will hear of this and you will be hunted down like the mongrels you are!"

Kirito simply walked to Sachi and told her that clearing the place 3 more times and they would turn in for the day. Sachi looked relieved because they fact that they had money they could rent a room. An incredibly cheap room but it was better than sleeping on the field taking turns.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Since the first time Kirito and Sachi began training together she had missed doing several things. The things looked mundane and ordinary to most people, but not to her. In a long time she finally was able to sleep 8 hours without Kirito telling her every 3 hours that it was her turn to watch for danger. The time she could take a shower in a place with soap and hot water, that she could put on her clothes and they smelled clean. But the last and worst thing was the food. For the first time in a really long time she was eating something that looked like a person cooked it, and not try their best to make something she called edible charcoal.

Kirito did try his best at cooking but since he would never devote any skill slots to cooking, it actually never improved. If you wanted to track down and kill something he was a champ, but ask him to cook anything and well you could eat it. If you didn't think to much on the taste you could eat it. Klein once decided to see how the two were doing and made the worst mistake he could. He stayed with them and had dinner together. One look at the think Kirito called food, and he asked, "Is this food or a form of punishment?" Sachi simply laughed and answered, "Both." Kirito ate his portion never making a single comment and simply looked upset. He began thinking that if Sachi hated his cooking so much, what was stopping her from actually trying to do it herself?

But it always happened, Kirito cooked his monster scaring food as Sachi called it. Kirito got upset and ended up killing monsters on the fields that much quicker. But not right now. Because this day the two actually had more than 2 pieces of col to rub together. This meant two important things, that maybe he could rent a home or a small apartment, and the second was that Sachi could finally get Kirito to fall for her. I mean how dense can I guy be! He was making so many hints and not one was noticed by him. Klein joked one night that maybe Kirito did not like girls. Sachi was so upset she ended up throwing his share of the meal to a monster. The sad thing was that the monster smelled the food and just left. How bad was Kirito's food that not even a monster would eat it.

But deep down she knew that if they did rent a single bedroom apartment, Kirito would more than likely end up saying that he would take a sheet and sleep on the floor. What was it that was about her that he simply did not see as attractive. During the many training sessions she had developed a very nice figure, her hair was always arranged to highlight and frame her face in a cute way. Some guys even had asked her out on a date, only to realize who was her party member. At that time they either ran away or tried to challenge Kirito to a duel.

1 more month as the players on this floor were as bad as the 1st floor. 1 month and they still haven't figured where the boss was. The situation had gotten so bad that people started to form guilds so there would be places were they could at least find party members. The Aincrad Liberation Front or the army was a pathetic joke. They lived by extorting scared players that still lived in slums of the start city on floor 1. The holy dragoon alliance, there was nothing holy about them. It should be called the backstabber for a rare item group. They did not care how they obtained a rare item legal, illegal, moral or just crooked methods were acceptable. The group Klein form that might as well be called the just us league. They took care of each other and that was it. But the group that Kirito found nothing about was something called, the Knights of the Blood Oath. Not once did he ever see or meet a recruiter. He could get nothing from his usual info broker Argo the Rat.

He knew that Kirito needed to find a good guild to join. Kirito and Sachi could probably continue for 2 more floors but with a good enough of a group he could really feel that the boss fights would have a better margin for victory with a little more HP than usual. Sachi mentioned a group called the Moonlit Black Cats it seems that some of the member if not all of them were known by Sachi. She of course was invited, after all they were happy that their friend had survived for so long. Some of the female players looked at her armor and wondered how could she buy it. Some of the male members wondered how was Sachi who was usually a shy, timid person have such a respectable level. Sachi simply said that thanks to Kirito's training regiment she increases 3 to 4 levels a day. To some that seems working someone to death, to others it seemed like an ambitious plan.

The meeting with the Moonlit Black Cats did not go over well for Kirito. He was basically told that they were inviting him because if he did not accept, Sachi would not join either. So there it was the guild leader wanted him as bait for Sachi to join the group. "This upset Kirito to the point of walking out the hotel room without saying a word. "Kirito trust me if there is any group of people I know its this one. With your help you could help me save some of my old and best friends." Sachi pleaded. He simply looked at her and saw the tears in her eyes. "Ok, I will try and train them, but the first backstabber, the first betrayal and we leave the group." Sachi told him, "Don't worry the guild master is a real nice guy we even dated irl." If Sachi trusted him so much might as well give the guy a chance.

And so the Moonlit Black Cats gained 2 very strong players, and that made the other members less afraid. True to his words, Kirito was a tough taskmaster, and trainer. Under his direct instruction the small 7 group guild as advancing in skills and level. The leader would always get into an argument with Kirito on when to start going for the boss. The second floor boss turned out to be a female monster that Kirito knew. The first time she looked at him she ran up to him hugged him and rubbed her nose against his. That was practically kissing him. Sachi was not happy about that, or the fact that she was looking at kirito with obvious feeling there. What Kirito did not tell her is that she was an old flame. They dated and even got close enough for her to ask if he wanted marry her. So it was no surprise how she reacted after not seeing her former lover for so long.

Kirito was going to introduce her to Sachi when Sachi went ballistic. She took out her sword and started attacking the floor boss all by herself, and that is when the rest of the guild joined in except Kirito who tried to stop them. Sure they broke up because her dad did not approve of their engagement, but she was always nice person to him. But they would not listen to his words for them to stop. His former lover tried her best to warm them down so they would retreat, but Sachi was having none of that she used 5 healing crystals just to be able to beat her. Kirito was extremely sad when he heard her say, "How can you trust invaders like this?" before she was defeated.

Kirito continued his work to train the guild members and they were all around level 39 and some 42 thanks to his hellish training schedule some of the members joked. But on the 3rd floor it happened. The betrayal that Kirito did not even believe could happen. The guild master had talked alone with the members except Kirito and Sachi and decided that they would use all the money in the entire guild to buy a building as a guild headquarters. But as a guild master he saw how much col Sachi and Kirito had, with Kirito being able to negotiate a good price with Agil, and his spending habits Sachi and Kirito has a small fortune saved. The other members did not listen to Kirito regarding their spending habits so they were basically broke. So the guild master used a privilege to take all the money from all the guild members to buy a building on his name and called it the Moonlit Black Cat's Den. The thing was the deed to the building was set so he was the sole owner.

He did it one day while everyone was asleep, and he did not ask Sachi or Kirito their opinion on the matter. The next day they had a grand total of 0 col. Kirito asked Sachi if it was just him and she told him it was the entire guild. The guild master had used the tax function to tax everyone 100% of all col owned. To say that Kirito was mad would be a colossal understatement. He reminded Sachi that the first betrayal he and she would leave, and that is where it happened.

The guild master had taken credit for the training of the members, they told him that he had made his training schedule and that he was just an extra. So not only did they take all the money he and Sachi had before joining the guild, but made him an unwanted peon. "So let me gets this straight, He came up with the training and I am a dead weight?" Everyone said that was right. "Sachi as I promised we leave after certain conditions, we have been betrayed. Lets go."

Sachi simply let go of his hand as they were about to leave. "I am not leaving Kirito. The guild master must have done it for a real good reason! He would never betray me like that!" The guild master stood in front of Kirito and point blank told him, "If you think that I am returning a single col when you leave you must be out of your mind! Go ahead and beat it, we did not want you with us in the first place. I only wanted Sachi with me!"

Kirito left the guild right there and there. Not without saying 1 final thing, "You chose your bed, and no matter how many thorns you find later, you will sleep in it. Sachi good luck because you really are going to need it. I will not help this guild again!" Kirito heard the members scream at him that he was no help at all.

Kirito was so sad, angry and disappointed in the guild that he became a solo player from that moment on. They never realized that he was the one that knew how strong the monsters where in a particular field, and that he knew how long it took the monster to respawn. In a fit of anger he removed Sachi and the guild from his contact list. This has immense repercussions, Agil had a trade contract with Kirito that he held the right to negotiate sell of items. This contract was done during the Beta. The guild would have to sell items at the standard item price from now on.

He cleaned the entire floor fields of monsters and was a level 52 since he did not have to share any of the Exp. He went to the floor boss room and saw that it was not a friend, or an old spar buddy. It was an old bully from his monster days. The bully was just as much a jerk as was when Kirito lived as a child monster. "So the bully of the playground became a floor boss." Kirito growled. You could have sworn the boss was laughing his tail off.

Kirito took both of his blades and got ready and when the bully tried to attack it happened. His eyes changes to a deep red color, just like when he was a monster last. In this fight he fought as the red eyed demon of old. His bully from his past lasted a minute before breaking into polygons of light and was defeated. Because he defeated the floor boss alone, he got a black and red armor set that made him look almost demonic, and a pair of dual blades. The col count read 750k col. He opened the portal to the 4th floor. The Moonlit Black Cats were enjoying their Den when they heard the announcement, and for a minute the guild leader believed that the credit for clearing the floor boss would go to the guild. "4th floor boss cleared by solo player Kirito titled the black demon swordsman. Portal now open to the 5th floor, city open to players. Have a nice day!"

The Moonlit Black Cats were beyond surprised, some angry, and one sad. Kirito has beaten the floor boss alone. I guess he was not so useless after all. Some of the guild members regretted what they had yelled at him. They saw the deed for the Den for the first time that night while their Guild Master sulked and complained that they should be getting the recognition. The only thing that had the guild name was the title of the place, but the sole owner was the Guild Master. Sachi now had to be the trainer that Kirito was and without his knowledge the situation was so bad that after 3 of the members died because of a dumb idea the guild master had, the guild disbanded but the backstabber did not care if he was no longer the guild master. He was filthy stinking rich! The 3 remaining members joined the holy dragoon alliance after Sachi and the other members gave up each a ring that improved HP by 70%. the rings had been a gift from Kirito on christmas day that the former Guild Master took credit for.

Kirito was now all alone, and the traitor would soon find out that a group of friends or just 1 strong friend was more valuable than col. Especially since he was wasting so much money to live like a king that he attracted the worst band to attract their attention Laughing Coffins.


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Two months had come and gone and Kirito was taking it easy killing monsters on the 5th floor. It turned out that the guild Knights of the Blood Oath were as serious as he once was about clearing all 100 floors of Aincrad. But he was not as in a rush to finish the floors as he once was.

Many people did not realize that just as Aincrad had cities, fields, and shops for players. The floating castle had a hidden side to it. The monsters has the same. They had craftsman, shopkeepers, restaurants, and inns too. The monsters also had friends, families and in a real sense a community of their own. Kirito having spent some time as a monster he knew every law, language, and monster custom. So when he was betrayed by the human guild he decided to go visit his monster friends. Even if some had been ones he defeated, they welcomed him with open arms. It was a simply spar between them and their friendship would not be damages because he did that or that he looked like one of the invaders.

For the first time he went to the cafe owned by one of his old friend, "Boy, Kirito you sure did a number on me. I swear you look just like one of those filthy invaders. What will you have today? On the house!" The cook yelled from behind the counter at the kitchen. "Jack you sure you don't feel bad about losing the floor boss position?" The kobold king dressed in what looked like jeans, a checkered shirt and holding a saucepan smiled, "Nah, I had to take that post. You know me I am a lot happier cooking and my supposed guards love to take care of the customers. Not to mention they really hated having to wear that armor." Jack looking at the kobold wearing waitress uniforms and really looking at them with intent.

"You never change, always your mind in the gutter." Kirito said laughing while he looked at Jack's blushing face. Jack put down the food on a plate and rang a bell. "Order Ready! You say that but try and tell me when you have found love in your lonely life!" Kirito picked up the plate and a fork. "It's mine. Hey I haven't met anyone that could keep up with me!" Jack looked at him eating, "Oh, and what off the young cutie that was with you when you beat me?" Kirito nearly choked, grabbed a glass of juice that Jack placed near him without him even noticing. "No, man. She turned out was only using me. She even got me to train a whole bunch of her friends, and picked them over me."

"I am sorry to hear that, the way Velvet was talking she was under the impression that she had some feelings for you. She said that she really was jealous of how she greeted you." Kirito put down the glass. "Nope, betrayed me anyways, but what do you expect from invaders anyways."

Jack could call him a jilted lover, or a cheated boyfriend and joked about his horns showing. But he was not so mean to kick a wounded friend. "So tell me Kirito are you done with that disguise yet? taking your post as a royal guard?" Kirito simply looked at Jack, "You know that I can't stay here in Aincrad forever, no matter how much I wish I could. I am here to enjoy some good food, pleasant company, and meet with some of my old friends. Except Velvet, I think she will be mad at me... then i am going back to that place and get stronger in spars like always. You think the red king would welcome me back?"

Jack was busy cooking the next dish but answered, "For sure, you were one of his best. Heck you could even be the floor boss for a high level floor. Like your dad, oh and Velvet told me your brother is really getting tough." Kirito laughed, "Oh, come on. Little blueboy is getting strong that is a surprise." He put the dish down and drank the last of the juice. "Hey Jack your cooking is getting a lot better. Thanks for the meal." Jack looked back and smiled, "Thanks for the praise and the wonderful spar. We should do it again sometime." Kirito smiled as he left towards the hidden path towards the player domain. As he left the town he saw Velvet waiving at him. "Guess she is not that mad after all."

Kirito was walking along the town on the 5th floor and watched as all the human npcs did business and players walked around. He went to a local shop to buy some raw materials and a few crystals. Then he went towards the fields and decided to grind a few more levels. Argo the Rat was nearby grinding too. "Hey Kirito when are you going to give me all your secrets. I could make a small fortune." Kirito finished his last monster and shuck his head. "My secrets are just that secret. I would never betray the people that told me that info and sell it."

Argo kept trying to finish this one grey wolf monster but couldn't. Kirito simply took a throw pick and threw it at the monster a little too hard. He was struck and immediately broke into polygons and banished. "Hey, I don't steal you prey respect mine!" Kirito laughed, "Looked like you were having trouble, you should thank me!"

"Oh, then I will thank you in the only thing I can give that you will accept." She showed him the map. "They say if you kill 200 wolves with your bare hands in this field, a rare monster appears. It supposed to drop some really cool dual swords. 3 have tried to but they all ended up running with their tails between their legs when they saw the rare monster."

Kirito read the place on her map, "Ok, maybe next time I can show you what those blades look like and let you see what they do. You would like that right?" Argo simply smiled with a nod. "Anyways catch. He threw what looked like a box. "Happy Birthday, Argo." She immediately opened the box it was a pair of gloves. Tried them on and said, "Thanks Kirito!" but he did not hear. Kirito was long gone.

When he got to the field someone was already there grinding, pretty weird looking clothes. Red and white, looked like a uniform the young woman was busy fighting to see him. Her orange-brownish chestnut hair and pretty good with the sword by the looks of it. What kind of sword rapier by the looks of it. She must have trained a lot, and this coming from a guy that mastered 2 sword styles and was level 59. He watched her fight and it almost looked like a dance. He killed a monster too which caused her to turn around. What a beautiful face. Her hair just framed it into a nice look. He kept on killing monster and she did too until the place was clear. "Who are you?" Kirito heard the young woman say, "It is only polite to introduce yourself, before you ask someone's name." Kirito said as he sheathed his sword. "Manners in this place? Well my name is Asuna, You?"

Kirito extended a hand and answered, "Kirito. You probably never heard on me." She took the hand and they shared a friendly handshake. "Oh, on the contrary. I paid Argo the Rat to lie to you about a supposed rare monster that supposed to appear here. As a Beta I was sure that you would not fall for it, but here we are." Kirito looked hurt, someone else lied to him. "So what do you want from me?" Asuna looked at him with a critical look. "I wanted to know if you want to join the assault forces on the front line. Who knows maybe if you are good enough you might join my guild." Kirito was looking at her with a cold look in his eyes, "I had bad experiences with guilds. If you let me be solo sure I will help in the front lines, but no parties, and no following me. Deal?" Asuna did not know why he looked at her like that when she mentioned joining her guild. "Deal, but it will be tough on your own. You might latter regret it."

As he accepted to be added as a contact, he began to walk away, "No I will not regret it. What do I have to lose." Asuna simply yelled at him so he could hear. "Your Life!" Asuna wondered what could make a person so sad, maybe it was being trapped in this death game or it could be something else. She did not know but maybe one day she would find out.


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Kirito did not mind the solitude, he did not need more people eating away out of his exp, money or items. He sure did not need a potential backstabber to wait for him to be weakened to try and kill him and claim everything he carried on him. But sometimes you get somethings you don't really want or need. In this case it was someone.

**~Flashback a few hours prior~**

"**I said quite clearly that i would work solo on the front lines, and you agreed to it. Now you are telling me that I should form a party?**" Kirito was practically screaming at an equally stubborn Asuna. "Look Kirito i think the front line assault forces need someone to give them a much needed training so we can clear floor faster and safer." Asuna was looking at the situation and saw that the way the assault force was they would lose my people. "**I am not a babysitter! You knew that when you asked me to join!**" Kirito was so mad that you could see the anger just roll off him. He had slammed the meeting table so hard that the immortal object message appeared. "The assault for would lose half their members if you do not train them, and then how are we supposed to leave his death game?" Kirito did not care about that, he did not need anymore backstabbers. "These idiots will not obey, and those that do make me question their loyalty toward the assault force. I don't trust them. Who is to say that I train them and then they turn to Pkers while we are asleep?" Asuna was not going to take no for an answer. "**I am the commander of the assault force, and this was not a request it is an order!**" She looked at Kirito still upset, but he said nothing. "**You will work with the members from the Holy Dragoon Alliance and that is final!**" Asuna left the meeting place, and when everyone was not looking they could not see the tears that threaten to run down her face. "Why can't that fool see how much working alone scares and worries me!"

**~end of flashback~**

Kirito was the second in command after having earned it by working the missions Asuna assigned. No one could say that he was not one of the strongest players only second to Heathcliff. But he was guild master of the strongest guild in Aincrad. In less than 2 months they had cleared 5 floors. This pace was hard to believe but Kirito always seemed to know where the floor boss room was or he would simply go and train till some people called him a dirty name that the players came up with. Kirito the Beater. It was a combination of the words Beta and Cheater, no one knew who came up with it, But people always assumed that Kirito was a Beta that had seen all these floor before, and because he did not share the info with anyone they thought he was cheating.

Kirito did not care at all what they called him. The black swordsman, Beater, or even Death's Twin Blader. He did not care one bit, gone was the boy that once laughed, joked and enjoyed the company of others. The cold, calculating, and cruel swordsman was the only thing left of Kirito, at least as far as everyone was able to see.

The source of his current problems was an old acquaintance. Sachi somehow managed to get pretty high in the Holy Dragoon Alliance, and the fact that several of the former Moonlit Cats were present in what would be called, Hell's training camp did not make matters any better. Kirito did not ever want to see these players ever, and now he was supposed to train the very members that either betrayed him or did not even appreciate his training of them before. The other Holy Dragoon members were simply not lucky at all being in the same group as Sachi.

That is not to say that Sachi did not have a problem either. The way Asuna talked, and mentioned the high regard she held Kirito to was one thing. In just a little time, Sachi was sure that Asuna had hidden feelings towards Kirito and the word jealousy was not strong enough to describe what Sachi felt. She seemed to only remember the happy times when Kirito was her fellow guild mate. The times they trained and worked together to grow stronger. Those intimate moments when they used to sleep in the field and at together. Granted it was not the greatest food in the world they ate, but the sense of togetherness was there for her.

Kirito looked at the group of players too busy to notice he was going to talk. They chatted, laughed and behaved like it was just camping.

**"Cut the chatter and open your ears if you know what is good for you!" **This instantly made everyone look at him. **"We are here because you sorry excuse of maggots are supposed to be the toughest players this world has! Clearly it is not the case, we will train and only train. The fairy tale you had this was a relaxing camp get that out of your heads right now! At the evening I will hold dueling times for those that think that they can beat me! But if you lose the duel, you will get a rude awakening. I do not have mercy for anyone. Least of all you! Now you will form in line and the only thing I want coming from your mouths from now is when I tell you something is, "Sir, Yes Sir." Well what are you waiting for a bell. Get moving!"**

Instantly everyone moved into lines and yelled, **"Sir, yes Sir!" **So began the time of the training camp and indeed there were some idiots that did in fact challenge him to a duel. Every single one lost to their so called Beater drill instructor. True to his words he really did not have any mercy.

In less that 6 weeks every single member of the camp rose 10 levels. The discipline was unheard off, so much so that some of the "Army" looked relaxed in their treatment of their members. Kirito was not wasting time. He too was getting stronger, and as the duelist realized that between fighting a monster or challenge him to a duel. They would pick the monster, at least they were not as cruel when you fought them.

The training camp lasted 3 months, and not a single time did he ever come close to being kind, friendly or merciful. Sachi tried many times to talk to him, and each time the request to talk in private was rejected. He did not even eat with the people he was training. He bough some NPC made jerky what looked like made out of monster meat, and would eat a stick in every meal.

Some players joked that those tasted horrible. Some even said that Kirito ate them to keep that sour look on his face. But of course all the chatting was done at the time they should be asleep and resting. This was the final day of their time in this hellish training camp.

**"Now that you maggots know how to train, I don't expect anyone of you to die out there. This camp is over but the training will only be over when you get all the people here back to that other world you came from. Congratulations on finishing and go out there and give the enemy Hell. Do you understand!" **Every single member was practically in tears as they all screamed, **"Sir, yes Sir!" **Kirito walked a little back and made a motion. Those who knew what it was saw it. A salute. **"Dismissed!"**

Asuna could hardly believe the results. The guild leaders were complaining about the 3 months of loss time and how no progress was made. This was all quiet now, In 1 month after the training camp, the had cleared 15 floors. The monsters had to even form training camps of their own to increase the difficulty of the game. The rewards therefore were better, and the drops items were in great quality. It seems monsters were making an effort to prove their kind with better armor and weapons. Heathcliff made a joke one day that maybe he should recruit Kirito to head an academy for players to learn how to train! The Holy Dragoon Alliance leader just said, "If that happens I think monsters will start to surrender, and where is the fun in a game where the monster give up?"

As he finished saying that they all wondered, "How can someone that dumb be the leader of such a big guild?"


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

After 6 months since they were all trapped in this death game, the situation began to slow down to a crawl. Just as Kirito had taught the assault forces, the monsters had watched and they too had increased their power. It was due to his training methods and vigilance they learned that deaths began to slow down and now after 6 months deaths caused by monsters were down to 0.

Player Killers were still present but Kirito had taught the people in the assault force ethics along with everything else. It was safe to say that Kirito was a very effective teacher. His students proved to have taken it all to heart. There was not a single more disciplined and organized force in all Aincrad. But this proved to be a curse for Kirito. Since he was so effective, the major guilds were all constantly looking for him, to recruit him or to get his to teach their guild members.

It was on the 7th month that he finally had just about enough. He had gone to his humble home on the 50th floor residential zone when he saw the thing that made him angry as all hell. All the major guilds were camped out in front of his home. This was like when players had camped out to even get a copy of this game.

He did the only thing he could. Go to his friend and ask for some advice. He was quickly running out of options. He camped out in dungeons, caves, and monster infested ruins. Nothing kept these pests away. The recruiters were simply not going to take no for an answer. The previous floor bosses were living quite happily in the monster side of Aincrad. He even went and visited some of them. They would spar and laugh. But even then if he disappeared for good. People would get depressed and suicides would happen again. He would feel guilty of basically causing player deaths.

But Kirito had 2 player friends and the one he never picture would be. Klein and Agil were his friends but he would never admit Klein was his friend. I mean he was one of the people that kept bugging him with request after request of joining his guild.

Agil could hardly contain his laughter. "So let me get this straight. You have over 20 recruiters from all sorts of guild camped out your home to recruit you?" Kirito was not having a good day. "Look it would be one thing if it was just the major guilds they at least can take a rejection. But I got crafting guilds, scouting guilds, and even some orange and red guilds after me for crying out loud! What does a guy need to do to have some peace and quiet!"

Agil knew where he was coming from. Being a solo player scouting the front line fields was a stressful job but this situation. This situation made it even hard to have a good meal. "Well you can keep camping in the fields in the front line." Kirito simply looked at him. "What do you think i been doing lately?" The situation had to stop.. Agil just looked at it in all angles. Being a business man he needed to be able to look at a situation from all possible paths. "Well I got a solution you will not like it but it is a solution." Kirito tried not to look hopeful. "Get yourself a really strong wife!"

Was Agil losing his mind. "Let me get this straight you want me to get a really strong wife. Switch one nightmare for an even worse one? Are you going mental or did you take a hit on your shining head when i was not here?"

"Oh come on, what is so wrong about the wife idea. She would keep the riffraff away from your home, and maybe make you happy in a few ways." Kirito could hardly believe what he was hearing. "I don't know how about the fact that she would drag me by the neck to join her guild, or worse she may want to form a new guild with me as the guild trainer!" Agil had to admit that he did not see that when he was thinking about options.

"Agil, I swear that sometimes I want to end it all, and just jump from Aincrad. But that would be cowardly and I may be stubborn, but I am no coward." Agil was looking at him with concern. "And not to mention if one of the strongest players commits suicide, the rest of the weaker players would lose home and sure to follow you jumping." Agil was thinking the same thing. "I will simply find a place where the monsters are tough enough to help me keep my skills sharp but too much for the recruiters to find me!"

Agil did not like the sound of that. "I will sure miss having this pleasant conversations." Kirito laughed, he would miss the items he could provide as raw materials, and the business he made off those items more. But even if he wanted to live on a regular basis on the monster side. Velvet was not making that a real choice either. She kept asking around for him, and he kept trying to avoid her.

She sure was nice once you got to know her, her looks and personality made her a real beauty. But he would have to eventually live Aincrad. He did not feel right about leaving a wife, and possibly a kid or two. The only real choice would be a fellow player, but who would be interested in him. He was considered a demon by some players, and some others only wanted him for what they could get from him or get him to teach them.

"Oh well, the front lines is at the 56th floor. I guess my students are doing me proud. All except the one present that is!" Agil was not happy to hear that. "Hey, I have been in every single floor boss fight right next to you!" Kirito knew why but he was not going to say it. The minions of those floor boss drop choice crafting materials after all.

As he got up, and paid for the items he wanted to purchase he saw someone following him. "Whoever you are come out now! If you are a recruiter the answer is no! and if you are an orange player the second you try and attack me in the fields you are dead!" Asuna came out of her hiding place. "As friendly as ever I see. I came to ask you to give me the map data for the 56 floor, like you are supposed to." Kirito looked crossed. "Look, lightning flash, I have better things to do that to go to your guild hall and have to say no to your recruiters for the 5,000th time. You want me to deliver the data, then put a lid on your recruiters!"

Asuna knew that was the reason, but would it be so bad for him to be a little nicer to her. Every time they had a floor boss strategy meeting he argued with what she planned. Granted some of the time he did have a good reason, but could he be so blind about the way she looked at him. She really found him interesting, handsome, strong and so ethical and moral that you could hardly believe all his clothes he wore were in black.

He simply opened the map screen and sent her the map data. As he was about to leave he hear her say, "Would it kill you to simply spend some time and talk with me. I have no idea how you been!" Kirito simply looked at her. "You are the revered lightning flash Asuna, aren't you worried that your reputation would go down hill if you are seen with the twin fanged demon?" Asuna simply smiled, if he needed to ask it means that he really cared about her. That made her very happy. "If you are worried, then don't. I can handle those gossip freaks any day. So how about it? Want to have lunch with me and talk about something other than assault force stuff?"

**~Somewhere else~**

Velvet was walking towards her home. Yet again she could not find Kirito. She really needed to find Kirito to tell him some really important things. But for some reason her ex lover was making it really hard to track him down. She could not ask his father since he was still on floor boss duty on a floor on the floor higher than the 70th floor. That was an achievement that not many monsters achieved at his age. But she needed to find him and tell him of what happened between them and the what happened after he disappeared all that time ago.

In Aincrad 10 years he had been missing, Jack told her that he had been at his little restaurant and that he was fine. But that was not enough, she saw him next with some bimbo. The minute she tried to have a conversation with Kirito the little bimbo got in the way and attacked her with such malice. She was a floor boss, and even she was taken back by the cruelty of that invader tramp and her minions. She had been happy to see Kirito try and calmed them down, but after her defeat. She hadn't been able to find him.

"Mama, did you find daddy today?" A young girl asked her as she stepped into her home. "No, Yui I haven't been able to find your daddy. I'm sorry sweety. Maybe I should take up my brothers offer and have him watch over you when i am gone." Yui did not want to hear that, she knew that her mama was ill. But there had to be some way for her to be able to see Kirito again. That is what Velvet wanted after all. To introduce Kirito to their daughter and share some happiness with her lost lover just once before her life ended.

"Don't worry mama, I am trying my best at the Cardinal System job that I got a few months ago!" Velvet was happy for her little girl, "But what can you do? you are the mental health support officer? Did cardinal finally give you access to be able to talk to the invaders?"

Yui did not have all the access she needed that was true. "Don't worry mama I will find him. I will find papa! and I will get him to meet you I will do my best!" Velvet was proud of her little girl. "I am sure you will, I am sure your papa is as proud of you as I am. Now help me with these groceries and lets have dinner. I am tired."

Yui jumped at that and helped her mama with the bags and walking with her holding the bags toward the kitchen. Yes one day she would be able to see her daddy. But she really wanted that day to be soon. She did not know how long her mama would be able to live with her condition.


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

For Kirito life was getting worse and worse. Asuna did stop almost all the recruiters for the Knights of the Blood Oath, well all except one. Asuna was sure that she could get Kirito to join. If the two strongest players were in the same guild it would improve moral, and it would improve the lives of Betas all around.

Kirito scouted 3 floors in that month after he last gave her the data of the 56th floor. In every single instance where he walking into the cold, stiff, and generally unwelcoming building he always wondered why did he even bother coming to his place. He could simply left the data with Agil, and he could sell it to Asuna. Maybe he could ask Agil to give him a cut off the fee. But here he was ready to be asked to join this guild for god only knows how many times. the 60th floor data took longer than most and he was delivering it to the vice commander of the guild once again.

"Asuna, Seriously when are you and your boss going to learn to listen? I mean what do I have to do to make my point get across? I do not want to join a guild, Period!" Asuna was not giving up so soon, or ever for that matter. "Look Kirito we have the best blacksmith facilities, we would equip you with better gear at no extra cost, and we provide housing to all out members. You have to admit, you keep yourself, your equipment, and your peace and quiet you want so much. The benefits are better once you pass the officer placement test. I would not even dream of mentioning the benefits officer have, but they are quite enticing."

Kirito had seen her do this a few times, she was in what he called recruiter mode. "I have a few business contacts that keep my gear well maintained, since the recruiters left me alone, most of them anyways I have a pretty peaceful life. My home in the 50th floor is quite cozy. And if I can't afford new gear, the monster drops are quite better when you are solo. Not to mention that I don't have to share exp with anyone. So you see Asuna your pitch might work for someone else, but not me."

Asuna was not done, "What of my personal interests in you. Forget that the guild could really use you. I want to spend some time with you. For crying out loud since that training camp you don't even reply to my messages anymore." Asuna doing her best to put a cute look on her face.

Kirito looked at her, "I don't reply because the answer is the same, and that is No. I don't want to join a guild, No I don't want to do another training camp, and No I don't want to form my own guild. Honestly not a single person ever sends me a message asking how I am or if they want to get together to chat. It can make answering messages a real pain and makes me want to ignore them."

Asuna understood where he was coming from, in her case was marriage proposals. How many times did she have to write to people telling them that she had a person she wanted to marry. That her heart was spoken for. That she was already in love with a powerful, yet dense player. How dense can a person be? Every time he came to deliver the data she wore her best uniform, the uniform that made her look the prettiest. The stuff she called parade and functions uniform. But Kirito was so dense that he did not even notice the make up and perfume either.

Her own bodyguard Kuradeel had made so many passes at her it was sad. But this had to change somehow. How would she get to notice her. I guess she needed to play her last card, "If you have a rare cooking ingredient I would be happy to cook it for you." Kirito wondered what she was after.

"If I find an item I might consider it, but I would not think about it too much if I was you." If he knew how wrong he was he would not even try and use that excuse.

There he was on the forest of the newest open floor, and that when it happened he saw something in the bush. He grabbed a throw pick and threw two of them. It hit something that look like a rabbit. He looked at the item name, "Raggout Rabbit Meat." A hell this item was super rare. He was tempted to send a message to Asuna but he thought that she was busy enough.

He walked into the new Agil shop on his home floor. The 50th floor had a very big commercial sector, and such it was easy for Kirito to buy supplies. "So Kirito in to buy or sell?" Agil greeted him. "I might sell but first look at the item." He opened his inventory screen and displayed the item. "Kirito this is a super rare food item, you are not hurting for col right? would you not want to eat it?" Kirito relaxed on the counter. "With my cooking skills? I would end up with charcoal. If I found a person with high enough cooking skills that might be something but as of now..." As he was saying Asuna walked into the shop. He immediately grabbed her hands and said, "Chef acquired!"

Asuna began to blush and her bodyguard gave him a look of hate that could scare a monster. He quickly let go of her hands, "So Asuna what are you doing slumming in this dump of a shop?" Agil was heard saying protest against what he called his shop. "I am here to tell you about the floor boss meeting for the next floor. You don't answer my messages remember? and what do me mean chef acquired?" Kirito looked at her, "Say Asuna how high is your cooking skill?" She looked proud and with a smile she answered, "I mastered it last week. Why?" Kirito knew how much you had to practice a skill to master it, and spending all that time on cooking it was beyond stupid. "Well I have this rare food ingredient and you once offered to cook it for me."

Asuna was surprised to see Kirito remember that promised. "So what item is it?" He simply showed her the item. "Ragout Rabbit!" Kirito looked at the smile and said, "If you cook it I will let you have a bite." She quickly grabbed him by his coat and said,"Half! I want Half!" He quickly agreed.

"Oh well looks like I will not be selling it, sorry Agil." Agil looked at him pleading, "Kirito I am your friend right? how about letting me have a bite?" Kirito was walking towards the exit of the shop and simply said, "Oh I will write a 2 page essay on how it taste I can give you that." As he walked outside he heard a crying Agil say, "Oh Come on!"

"Well I doubt you even have a stove in your house. So might as well go to mine." Her scheme was set in motion. If he saw how nice the floor where the guild members were housed recruiting him would be much easier.

"I must object Asuna-sama. You should not dirty your home with such an undeserving weakling like him." Asuna looked at her bodyguard, "I did not ask for your opinion Kuradeel. And I would not call him weak he is at least 10 levels higher than you." Kuradeel was taken back by what she said but everything made sense, there was only one way he was that strong. "So he is a Beater. Asuna-sama you should not associate with a Beater, you must think on your reputation. Beaters are selfish, greedy, and immoral players. You are the light of hope to our guild. You should not tarnish your good name by associating with him!"

Asuna was now mad, "**Kuradeel I order you to leave and do not return till I call for you!**" He had no choice but to walk towards a nearby portal and leave. Kirito watched, "Are you sure you will be alright?" Asuna still upset just grabbed his hand and began dragging him along, "It will be find, lets go already."


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

What kirito expected was a decent meal, granted he never expected this. First she was giving a grand tour of a place so high in costs, that the sheer look of the homes made him feel like he begged for coins at a nearby bar. The place was so high in looks, clean, an air of sophistication. That when he though in terms of property taxes, it made him almost imagine his wallet crying and running for dear life. The NPC women were dressed in stunningly beautiful clothes, and more he spent time, the more he thought. "No wonder Asuna always look at the town i live in as a ghetto." He believed that a single window would cost more than his entire house.

"It's a very nice, and peaceful town." Kirito mentioned to her. "Why don't you join the guild. This part of town is where we could provide you with a home." He simply kept on walking. "Look I said it was a nice town, but I am not joining no guild if it is in my control. I would have to be quite literally be forced to do it, and I would more than likely be kicking and screaming as the person drags me into the guild." Asuna could not understand why he was so against joining guilds.

For a moment Kirito was growling in an almost upset tone, what she did not understand is what he was actually doing. "Trust an invader to never see beyond the surface. Why am I here?" was what he was saying in monster. The few monsters that had listened simply said to themselves, "Because you are either letting your hormones do the thinking or your insane." Kirito smiled when he heard the reply. Maybe he was insane or maybe his hormones where at fault, but maybe it was a little bit of both.

He stopped at a home that looked so expensive that he felt out of place, "Well lets go it, the sun is setting and we were supposed to cook this thing, right?" As he walked in he excused himself and walked towards a couch, "Darn, this couch is really comfortable, puts my furniture to shame." As Asuma walked towards the spacious kitchen she told him, "Aren't you going to take your weapon and coat off?" Kirito did not even think about it, He was in someone else home. But since she mentioned it he did just that. He took off his coat and sword.

"Cooking is over simplified in Aincrad. To actually cook we would need to do all sort of prep work, and steps. That is why most people find it boring." Asuna explained as she cut the ragout meat, looked like it would make a decent stew. "Now set this for 30 minutes, and now for some side dishes." She was on a roll. She made some fruit salad, and some nice looking tea.

"Well don't just stand there, help me get the table set." Kirito did just that. He helped her set the table ware, he did not want to even touch the dishes. He felt that if he touched them and broke one. He would have to sell his house to pay for it.

Kirito heard a bell, and Asuna walked to the oven. Pulled out a steaming pot and carried it to the place on the table. As she took the lid off the smell it came off was making his mouth water. She took his plate served his portion and she served hers on her plate. After a traditional grace said by her, and occasionally slapping the spoon form his hand as he wanted to eat without waiting. The meal was great, he never had anything that good. "Ah, I am glad to have lived long enough to enjoy something like that." Asuna said as she began serving the tea. "Me too." Kirito replied.

It is funny he never could get that kind of food in the restaurants in Aincrad, I guess it just needs the touch of something he could not describe. "You know it is funny, I sometimes feel like I lived here all my life. Like the other place is a hallucination or a dream." Kirito smiled, to him this place was his home. Aincrad had everything he needed, challenge, an opportunity for personal growth, and some real friends. Granted to most they look like bloodthirsty monsters but Jack and the others had their fun side too. "People simply adapt, and some just begin to realize that they want to escape something from that other place." Asuna understood what he was saying, but it was sad. "It might be true for some, but there is things I want to do that I can't do here. Alright the answer is no and stop giving that look." Kirito looked confused, "Its just that when ever someone eats my cooking they often, the men tend to propose to me." Kirito looked shocked. "Guess no one special with you then?" Kirito tried to take another sip of tea, but his cup was empty. That is when she offered a refill. "I am a solo player, how am I supposed to even start a relationship." Asuna was both happy and a little sad. A little happy to know that she had very little competition for his affections, but a little sad to seeing him so alone.

"You know I am going to party with your tomorrow, and my horoscope said my lucky color for tomorrow was black." As she sent him an invite to form a party. He decided to drink a little tea, "You know that most party members simply slow me down." As he finished he saw her start a high level rapier skill. "I guess you are the exemption." Looking defeated he accepted, they both agreed to go for broke and start at the new floor that just opened, 70th floor. They both agreed to meet early in the morning, little did they know what she had someone spying on them.

At 7:30 am in front of the portal. "She is late, how long does she intend on keeping me waiting." As he said that he heard someone scream for him to move out of the way. It happened so fast that he couldn't and so he and the young woman crashed. She landed on top of him, and tried to grab something to get back up. He did grab something. "What is this." Grabbed and felt "Well, it's soft, and has a real nice flexible feel." When she saw what he was grabbing she slapped him so hard that he was sent flying and hit a small column. He looked at her and it was Asuna, and she was holding her hands guarding her breasts. He looked at her and looked at his had and made the same grabbing motions. He realized immediately what he had grabbed. Quickly he rose a hand and said, "Hey, Asuna good morning." She quickly ran towards Kirito's back. And then he saw Kuradeel walking towards her. "Asuna-sama I do wish you would not make my job so hard." She looked at him in pure rage, "Your job includes spying on me while I am in my own home." Kuradeel simply answered. "My job is bodyguard, so I must make sure you are safe regardless of where you are." She could not take it. "That does not include peeking when I was taking a shower! You Idiot!" He did not even replayed and grabbed her hand. "Let's go to headquarters. I am sure you are needed there!"

Kirito did not live bullies, and he did not like a person taking advantage of a young woman. He grabbed his hand, "I will be borrowing your vice commander for a little bit of scouting." He let go of Asuna. **"You filthy Beater, you really feel like you can do my job! So prove it coward and duel me!" ** He simply equipped a second blade. The tension could be cut with a knife. He was sent the duel to be a first strike, no time limit. He changed that No time limit, first to drop 70% HP. Kirito was not about to let this creep off so easy. He was going to receive the beating he so richly deserved. As both accepted the count down started. Kuradeel has a large 2 handed ornate sword. Kirito simply waited for him to attack. Using a high skill he did and was sure it hit when he received 2 hits. One on his blade sending the blade back and another across his chest.

He was sent flying a few feet. The winner icon appeared over Kirito and as Kuradeel looked at his sword it shattered. His HP was 10% and lost his blade. "If you are not happy use a healing crystal and equip a knew weapon. I will do it as many times as you want!" Kuradeel being arrogant he grabbed a dagger and attacked Kirito. The dagger was poisoned. Kuradeel was sure that Kirito would die if it hit. Asuna jumped in and also did an attack on his dagger and it was cut in half. **"Asuna-sama, that filthy beater cheated, he must have! I would not have lost to someone like him otherwise!"** He could hardly believe the glare he was receiving. **"Kuradeel, you are dismissed from the position of bodyguard. You are to return to headquarters and await further orders. Disobey and I will remove you from the Guild under the charge of insubordination." **If looks could kill Kirito would be dead, that is how hateful Kuradeel glare was.

"Are you sure you will be alright?" Kirito asked Asuna as she watch Kuradeel use the portal. "I will be fine, come one we have a whole new level to explore. I can't wait to see what monsters we get to fight!"

**~Somewhere else~**

Yui looked at her mom resting on her bed, "Momma, why do you think daddy is avoiding us." Velvet looked at her daughter. "It is a long story are you sure you want to hear it?" Yui simply gave an excited nod. "When I met your dad he was a guard in the king's guard. His dad was just a floor boss, and his brother was a random mid level boss. So that was something his dad was very proud off. I worked as the guard's healer. I was named Velvet because of my hair since I was born, but my official title was the emerald fiend. Your dad was titled the twin fanged ruby fiend. He could use two swords that is why they called him Twin Fanged."

"He did was pure offensive, and so he got hurt quite a bit, during the many training spars between the guards. So we spent quite a bit of time together. The day he won his post as Captain, was the day that we made love for the first time, and during it he bit my left breast. We both received the Mate mark of our race. In all intents and purposes we were married. Your father worked really hard, and so he had to spend a long time away from our new home. The king provided us with one, and I was given permission to be a simple housewife. The king must have known that was also the same night that you were conceived."

"My life was happy, and I was a happy housewife, proud mate to the captain of the king's guard. my in laws your grandparents visited every so often. But 2 days before your daddy vanished from Aincrad something happened. His brother Icefelt, came to visit me at our home. I was 2 weeks pregnant with you, but that did not stop your uncle from doing the most despicable thing ever, he raped me. When he did he bite me on the same place, trying to claim me. Two mate marks was bad enough of a taboo, but on the same place. The marks on your daddy and my mark burned off. His mark disappeared after the pain I imagine, but mine became the condition you see. I am slowly becoming weaker. The punishment for cheating on a mate. For you see during the time when your uncle did that, I actually enjoyed it. It was purely physical reaction, but it made me the cheater of my mate, and that is why I can't go to other floors. I am not strong enough anymore. I have to rely on the few friends I have in the guard, and some floor bosses to try and find your daddy."

Yui was sad to hear that her uncle had done something so horrible, "Don't worry momma, if you don't find daddy. I will try and find him while I work with Cardinal." Velvet simply smiled, "Sweety, he might not even know who you are, and he might not have forgiven me. For this condition to end my beloved must chose another mate. I don't think your daddy will do that, specially after what happened between us."


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

The 70th floor was tough, and the exploration of the floor was going slow. They had worked at it for nearly a whole week, when the thing that they did not even considered happen. Kirito stomach gave an unmistakeable growl. Even monster began to snicker at the sound. "Guess we need to take a lunch break, or you might scare the monsters away!" Asuna joked and Kirito frowned, "It is not my fault, I haven't eaten anything in 5 days." Kirito said indignantly. Asuna could hardly believe it, "You idiot, don't you pack a lunch?" Kirito took one look at her and asked, "Why? In case I need charcoal for the camp fire. My cooking skills might kill me first!"

"Well I guess it can't be helped, but take your gloves off." They both sat down, and he picked something from the inventory. A basket appeared, "I knew something like this would happen so I packed a light lunch." She handed him a sandwich. He began eating his sandwich and wondered why did this taste so familiar. Last person he once shared a meal with was Velvet. He frowned at the memory on how they broke up. "What you don't like the taste or what?"

Kirito looked at her, "No, the lunch is delicious. Just some bad memories of someone who hurt me pretty bad." Sachi and the other former Black Cats had told her after a floor boss meeting what their guild had done to Kirito. "Memories of the Black Cats?" She asked him, he simply answered, "I don't waste my time remembering them. No, it was someone very close and it cut much deeper."

Kirito finished his lunch and waited on Asuna, "Kirito why do you wear such light armor? don't you have something to protect you better?" Kirito looked at her, "My blacksmith skills are pretty good these days, but I can't finish the gear I want. The black armor I want use 10 onyx crystal ingots and 10 shadow wolf pelts. I have the pelts, but the crystal has an expiration time of a few hours in open air. I still need the chest, helm, and gauntlets. I can finish one, but the onyx crystal ingots would simply disappear by the time I finish it. It took me 2 months to collect, that would be such a waste."

Asuna looked at him, "Why not ask a friend to help or better yet. Join my guild. We have blacksmiths that would be glad to help if you did." Kirito looked at her not even smiling, "Agil could probably help me, and for the last time. I am not joining a guild if I can help it. I do not need the dead weight and having them be another Black Cat incident." Kirito got up and began walking away. The thing the that guild did to him must have hurt more than he is letting on.

She put the basket in the inventory and walked fast behind him. The floor boss room was there for all to see. He pushed the door and saw a huge monster with horns and golden eyes. The golden eyed fiend was the monsters title. Kirito could hardly contain his surprise. He simply ran towards the monster and the fiend ran towards him once he saw who it was. They both gave a huge growl, Asuna believed that they would begin the floor boss fight. But what idiot attacks a boss alone like that. Oh wait this is Kirito she was with. She got her rapier ready to back him up.

What Asuna did not expect happened, The monster picked Kirito up and they both hugged. What the growls were was clear to every monster 20 feet way to understand. The fiend shouted son and Kirito said dad. After such a long time he was meeting his monster father, and his father was seeing his long lost son. The worry about his eldest son was clear.

"Son why do you look like a puny invader? Where have you been you know you left without even saying good bye to the King and your subordinates. Your mom has been worried sick about you!" Kirito looked at his dad and smiled, "I had no choice. I was forced into this form after the Beta you know I told you about that! But how can I get that invader to understand what we are saying. Look at her she is pretty freaked out." Korito looked at the female invader. "I am surprised that you haven't marked her, she is your mate right son?" He looked at his father blushing,"No. She is just a friend. You know as well as I do what happened with my mate long ago!" Korito was laughing. "Just tell her to come over here. I will bite her and she will learn the language just like I did to you when you were a baby." He still remembered the pain, but there was no other way.

"Asuma put that rapier away and let this guy bite you!" Asuna was looking at Kirito after he said that. The fiend had hugged him and now he wanted her to let it bite her. **"Are you out of your mind! Why would I let that thing eat me?"** Korito was heard snickering, "Boy she reminds me how your mom was when we started dating." Kirito simply could not believe his dad would take the situation so lightly. "Trust me, this guy will not kill you. You will understand him and most monsters if you do it, so come on and put out your hand. "Hope mom doesn't get mad." Kirito was telling him. "Ah, don't worry so much she would do it too if she saw her and you together!"

Asuna simply walked over to the fiend and held her hand out. It happened in an instant, but the pain took hours to stop. "So young lady, I take it you understand me?" Asuna gave a nod. "My name is Korito, the boss for this floor. You already know my eldest son Kirito. Good thing your mom and brother are not here. My wife would want you to mate this pretty young lady, and my youngest son would be absolutely jealous of you." The surprised look on her face was priceless.

The trio sat down on the boss room floor, "So let me get this straight, you are his son. You understood what monsters were saying all along. And there is a whole other Aincrad besides the one we know off. You idiot! Why did you not tell this to anyone?" Korito interrupted, "Because as captain of the royal guard Kirito has taken a bow of secrecy. He can only tell you because I gave you that bite. I pretty much made you an honorary member of our clan. Which reminds me Kirito why are you wearing that junk and not your Shadow wolf plate armor?" Kirito looked at his father with a blush of embarrassment. When the Beta was over I lost my official captain uniform. I been trying to remake it, but you know how tough that is using invader tools." Korito laughed, "Is that all? You did not lose anything. I have it, and your blades too. I am pretty sure twin fangs will be happy to be held by you again." Korito simply took a rather large box, with a intricate symbol on it. He touched it and the items can to lay on the surface of the floor. As he began to picked them up and placing them he began to remember all his missing skills. Trap making, hiding, detection, command, and lastly the eye of the beast.

He finished putting all the armor and weapons. Asuma could hardly believe this was the same Kirito he looked absolutely stunning, regal and immensely over powering. "Now that is what my son should look like. Now how about we have our floor boss fight so this old man can retire and then we can take your pretty young girlfriend to meet your family and see where you grew up." Kirito did not like the teasing tone of his father.

With this his skills back to what they were he could finish this fight without even trying to hard. "Sure thing dad, get ready to retire. Today is the last day for you to be floor boss!"


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

If anyone had been lucky to see the fight other than Kayaba it would be a sight to be sure. The fighting between the two fighters are coordinated, the word teamwork would not do them justice. Asuna fought as if to protect someone and Kirito did as well. To Korito it was what he wanted to see, what every father wished to see. His son found a true mate, and he was fighting along side him. In all the years in his post he had never had a tougher fight, and as he was defeated he came up with the idea. Maybe his mom and I can finally open his eyes to what I am seeing.

The boss fight for the 70th floor was announced over and the next floor portal was now open. Kirito looked exhausted, and Asuna looked at him with concern in her eyes. "Kirito are you feeling alright? What you told me that was someone you considered your dad. Are you sure you are alright?" Kirito was surprised by the almost heart felt concern, "He is fine, he should be at the monster town right about now. But why do you feel concern for me?"

Asuna hit him on the arm. "How can you possibly be so blind, can you tell what I feel? Do you remember me cooking for anyone? Do you think I let anyone in my home?" Kirito could seem to answer that. If it happened it would make the news, or simply gossip. "I cook for you and want to be with you for obvious reasons. Are you truly that dense that you can't tell?" Kirito was not sure how to respond, it was a word that got caught at the back of his throat. Who would imagine that 4 letters were so hard to say out loud. Was it fear or was it the memories of what happened to the person who said the same thing.

Asuna was upset, and was now totally blushing and tired of waiting for him to answer, "I love you, you knucklehead. Can you imagine what is is like loving a person and never even being able to tell him!" That was the thing that made him lose his supposed fear. Velvet had told him the same, but she had broken his heart. Would Asuna be the same. He did not care he had to admit that he too had fallen for her, but he did not say simply took her in his arms and kissed her deeply on her lips. It was a passionate kiss, and it was one that Asuna was more than happy to return.

Well I guess the only thing he needed to do was to walk towards the secret pathway. He asked Asuna to help him get to the wall. He placed his hand on the wall and tapped it in a strange way. The wall moved and a portal appeared. He decided to go to the 70th floor town. But things were different. Instead of NPCs the town was full of different monsters. Monster townspeople, shopkeepers, merchants, blacksmith, all the things you expect from a normal player town.

He saw a much smaller version of the golden eyed fiend. He looked pretty big, almost as big as Agil. "So you decided to finally come home with her! Well son let me meet my future daughter- in law. Oh come on don't be shy!" How in the world did his dad figure that he would feel about Asuna in that way. "Well I just told him, and he accepted. So I am more like his girlfriend, but if he asked I would gladly be his wife!" Asuna told Korito while he was laughing. "So I was right! Come on lets go you really need to meet Yuhina. Your mother is going to be one happy monster!"

Kirito did not even make a single word he simply followed, "Well I guess he was being forced by fate, he might as well ask her in front of his mother. That would either cause his mom to jump for joy or faint. He hoped that she would not faint. Korito, his son and Asuna walked to their modest home. "Sweety, you would not believe what the wind dragged in!" Yuhina was the same as her husband but with silver eyes. "Well if it isn't my little boy. Kirito come give mama a hug!" He did give her a hug, "Oh but that is not all!" Korito continued. "He brought his bride to meet you!" Asuna could tell there was a teasing tone to his voice. "So you are the one that would be my Kirito's mate. Let me ask you something do you love him enough to be faithful to him?"

Asuna did not know where the question came from but she did know the answer. "Yes, he is my one and only. I will be his and only his for as long as I should live." Yuhina was happy to hear the conviction and dedication behind her replay. "Well, welcome to the family. If only that idiot son Keroto would find himself a mate too. I would have my two boys taken care off."

Asuna asked who Keroto was and Kirito told her he was his younger brother. He had blue eyes. Korito told his son that his brother made floor boss on a higher floor. The father and son talked about how his life had been, and the mother and Asuna talked about how Kirito had been to her, and seeing baby pictures. Kirito had been sure that he had destroyed those. Yuhina laughed and said that she kept copies in secure places in case of accidents. As the two slept in each other arms in his old bed in his old room something happened, he felt the need to touch her, and she felt the same thing. It happened as they kissed again, and the touching and the feeling got hotter and more intense. Before they knew it they were making love, and in the throws of their final moments he bit her on her breast right above her heart. Happy, exhausted, and feeling a sense of oneness they fell asleep. Velvet felt it too, the curse that plagued her only could mean Kirito had decided to mate and the mate had accepted him. She was a little sad, but at the very least she would live a little longer. As Asuna slept Kirito's parents looked at her sleeping next to their son. "To think that this would happen in his old bed. Talk about strange. I guess the mark will appear tonight. I better go to bed and get ready to make a big celebration breakfast." Said Yuhina as he smiled at her mate. A strange symbol was forming where Asuna received the bite from Kirito.

In terms of monsters they would know she was his mate, but that did not stop Asuna from dreaming of the marriage ceremony on the player side of Aincrad.


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

The next morning was supposed to be a quiet, peaceful, and most importantly restful time of the day, well to say that the family of monsters that Kirito considered his home was surprised would be a sever understatement. First thing Asuna saw when she awoke was Kirito sleeping right next to her, and the way he was holding her made her remember the previous night. She was happy to share such an intimate moment with him. But the she realized that something was feeling out of place. She looked at her breasts and saw that they were not only bigger but there was this big crest on one of her breasts. She did the only thing a person could do in these situations. She yelled really loudly about what in all heavens was that thing on her chest? How could she ever fit in her armor?

Kirito was awoken by a panic stricken Asuna. Well Kirito tried his best not to look to surprised, if you could see in his mind the thought that ran through his mind was boy was he lucky to have this lovely lady be his mate. But the happy thoughts were interrupted when 2 people burst into the room. First was Korito asking what was wrong? This was a bad idea, Asuna had nothing on, no night gown, no sleep wear. She was only in her birthday suit, and when she saw Korito the only things he could see was stars. She picked up a lamp near their bed and threw it at him screaming the work pervert.

Yuhina understood exactly why her son's mate would react that way. She simply told them good morning and decided to try and pick up her injured mate off the floor. "Well once you are done getting dressed and eat some breakfast we can have your clothes modified. Not to worry you can use an old robe of mine for now." Asuna looked at the monster lady that was not technically his mother-in law. She sure is not reacting to badly to her being with her son.

After breakfast she tried the old robes, they were not that bad. Silk, leather, and some rune crafted into it, the thing was very practical, easy to move in, and not too bad to look at. She wondered where Yuhina got it. She simply joked that those robes were the last thing she ever used before becoming mate to the love of her life.

The day began with going to a few different merchants. Blacksmiths, Rune Experts, Seamstress and a few others. It turned out that Asuna needed a whole knew set of gear. While they walked Yuhina told her about the changes that came with being mated. She understood some as she saw how her body changed, and when she looked at the remains of her favorite rapier. She grabbed it a little too strong and it had shattered. Only the sheath was left and she did not feel right without it.

The Knights of the Blood Oath seemed to provide a texture application ability for their officers. Asuna bought a new rune reinforced armor set and she simply touch it and imagined the pattern of her uniform. The armor immediately took on the same color scheme. The blacksmith had been happy to make a sale of this caliber, but she was not happy to see that Kirito was now mated.

It was no secret to the family that the former craft expert of the royal guard had a massive crush on Kirito. She crafted all his gear that he was now wearing again. But there was a small thing to be happy about. This means that Velvet also knew of this development. Her curse condition would have lifted. On the one side she was happy to see the former vice captain of the guard would live longer, on the other after she had cheated on Kirito in such a shameless way she believed she did deserve a few more decades of pain.

Keroto was nowhere to be seen, it was expected he was a floor boss after all. But how would the guild react when they say Asuna, that was an idea that kept bugging her and Kirito. The added stats and change in marital status would definitely rub a few people in the wrong way. The face of Kuradeel scowling came to her mind. Yuhina did her best to explain. When a couple becomes mates, the mate with lower physical strength would grow to match the other mate. This was an indication of their physical bond. But there was a negative to it, if one of the mates ever willingly, and knowingly cheated on the other mate, the mark would disappear from view and the reverse would happen. How you grew strong when mated, they would become weaker after they cheated. This was done by a curse, and the curse would be present until the other mate found a new mate, or until it lead to the cheating mate's death.

To monsters specially monsters like Kirito and his family being faithful was a matter of life and death. She could remove the mark only within 1 week of it appearing. After that the only way was cheating, and the pain of the curse's effects made that a suicide. So if the couple had any second thoughts it would be better to consider it during that 1 week. Asuna simply took her mate's with hers, and smiled. "Kirito is the only man for me! There is no way that I would ever want this to end!" Korito's turn to make them question that resolve, "What if Kirito had a previous mate and he had a child with her? Would you still feel the same?" Asuna punched him in the shoulder, and grinned, "If that child is Kirito's I would welcome that child as my own!"

Yuhina was happy to hear that, she ended that sober discussion with the telling of the tragedy that had happened to Kirito. Kirito and his vice captain had been mates too, but the vice captain was a pretty young lady, and she liked to have fun. She was always friendly, almost flirtatious to some of the members of the guard. One day she did the most despicable thing a mate could do, she cheated on Kirito, knowing full well that the man was doing it to insult, and ridicule his captain. Kirito the very next morning he walked into his quarters to find Velvet and her new lover sleeping in his bed. "Well Captain since you are too busy with your duties to keep your mate satisfied in bed, I did you a favor! You can find yourself a new mate, cause this one is mine now!"

The Red King knew of this from the other guards and he immediately removed her from the guards, and saw that the curse was placed. The man who was the one who slept with his mate, he was made to fight a duel to the death against Kirito. In his armor he stood in all the horror and dread that his monster adult form could cause. He won that duel under 1 minute, and the creep begged for him to spare his life, Kirito ended his life without saying a single word. 3 days later he disappeared from Aincrad and Yuhina and Korito feared the worse.

Those fears were now cleared, and seeing their eldest son alive and well was making both happy. But seeing that their son had healed from the injuries his previous mate caused him was truly a thing to celebrate. As both Asuna and Kirito walked though the portal to return to what monsters call Invader Planes. She told Kirito that no matter what happens she would always stand by his side.


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

To say that people were wondering how Asuna changed her physical appearance would be no surprise. They wondered how the doctors would react to those changes. They even wondered if the chances happened to her body lying in that hospital bed where she had been moved.

Kuradeel was the first to look at Asuna in her new gear, and Kirito in his new gear. If he was mad he was doing a marvelous job in hiding it. He simply walked up to the pair, that had been holding each other like a couple would. "Excuse me, Asuna-sama. But I have come to deliver a message from Heathcliff-sama. He has requested an audience with this particular beater. I have not been informed of the reason why or what the subject would be discussed. However he did make it clear, that you were to take him to headquarters immediately. Now if you will excuse me. I must return to headquarters to await you orders, Asuna-sama." Kuradeel simply bowed and left towards the portal.

"This can't possibly be good. I wonder what could your guild master want with me?" Asuna could not imagine it either, but the way Kirito mentioned that question it was clear that he had suspicions about what the main topic of discussion was going to be. The idea was a discussion but somehow he felt like he was going to be lead into a fight. As both used the portal to teleport to the floor where the headquarters were there, they were met by not 1 but 5 of the executive officers. They told the pair that the council was there to escort them to the meeting with the guild leader.

Kirito did no buy it for one second. As they walked some of them gave Asuna some not so gentlemanly looks. This of course was seen by Kirito, and they stopped when they heard the unmistakable sound of teeth grinding, and a look of sheer murder on his face. Asuna was quite pretty, and to some the definition of cute. The look Asuna had was sort of more sexy than cute. Some of the people escorting them began to think that figure could make a saint think of doing intimate things.

The pair where lead to the guild council room, and there he was sitting almost like a king. Heathcliff was sitting and waiting for everyone to take their seats. "So Asuna, Kirito I believe congratulations are in order. Oh, don't give me that surprise look. Your status as mates is clearly mentioned on you status window Asuna. Not a traditional status, but I do believe it makes the situation easy to understand. You are both wondering why these officers went to escort you, and why you were called. I feel that a re-evaluation of my executives officer is needed,and with the change in status of my vice commander of the front assault forces. I believed that it would only be prudent to evaluate her mate, personally. I will publicly support your union if you fight a tournament against all the officers present here today, with the exception of Asuna. If you win I will pay you enough money to be able to purchase a home near headquarters. This will be done to ensure that Asuna will still be able to continue her duties."

Kirito looked at his and simply asked the question that was obviously next. "What happens if I lose?" Heathcliff knew that he would ask that question. "If you lose you will join the Knights of the Blood Oath, and depending on how much of the tournament you finished you will be granted a position that will be befitting of someone of your talents." Asuna wanted to dismiss it at once, if he fought the guild master Kirito was going to lose and badly. But before she was able to Kirito smiled, "Fine, be sure to have my col ready. Cause I am not holding back at all. And if some of you die you asked for this. I will not hold back, and I will show no mercy. So be ready cause I am!"

As Asuna and Kirito left they said nothing to each other. But as soon as they were in her living room she yelled at him, "You idiot! If you fight you know that they will make you join! Why avoid being in a guild, only to be put on the spot like this! I could have dismissed the challenge, but no you just jumped at the chance to fight!" Kirito could clearly see the worry on her face, "I have to do this, If I don't your fans within that guild will not leave us have a moments peace, or any privacy." Asuna knew that he was right but that did not make her worries to go disappear. Asuna looked anxious as she asked the next question. "Well since we can't do anything about the tournament, I have one thing to ask you. Do you plan to go to that dump you call an apartment or will you stay here with me?" Kirito was not happy to hear someone call his home a dump, but he had to let it go to tell her what he would like to do. "Can I stay here with you, cause I think I should be well rested for those fights that are going to happen soon." Asuna walked over to him and kissed him with all the passion she could muster. "Of course you can stay, you are my mate after all. I don't think you will get much rest tonight. We do have to see if that bed can withstand both of us on it. I really find it hard, not to want some more of what we did in your old home bedroom." There was nothing that he could do but to walk outside and she followed. As they were outside he surprised her by carrying her back in through the threshold in an unmistakable way that a groom carried his bride for their first time home. After he went through the door he kicked the door close. He took her to their bedroom all the while she gave him heated looks. "Ready for some exercise my love." Kirito asked as he laid here on the bed, "Ready, able and willing!" was her only reply.

At six in the morning he got a message from one of the officers. The tournament will he held on the arena that was on the floor that the guild headquarters was located at. The tournament will be a series of duels and will start tomorrow at 6 am. He would be considered to have forfeit if he arrived late. A little less than 24 hours and his fate would be decided. He simply replied that it was understood, and went back into bed to get some more sleep with Asuna by his side.

The time of the tournament and what he expected happened, happened. The treasurer of the Knights of the Blood Oath would not miss the chance at selling merchandise, tickets, even posters. The only thing Kirito could think was that he would make Agil business look like he did charity work. The word greedy did not even come close to what he was thinking as he saw the lines of people wanting to buy tickets. He tried to step towards the arena but people pushed him aside as if he was trying to cut in line. That was it, the final straw. He took one of his swords, and changed his gear to full armor combat mode. He looked at the lines and with murder in his stare he stepped forward and yelled at the top of his lungs, **"If you value your wretched lives you will let me through to the arena or I will carve my way though you!" **The people parted like it was the parting of the ocean by Moses. Not a single person was left standing in his way. He simply walked into the arena, and after he did and a collective sigh of relief business continued. The idea everyone buying a ticket had was, god have mercy on the poor guy that fights that.

The tournament was going to be 3 male council members and 2 ladies. The entire council seats were participating and the grand finale was against the guild master. They arranged it so that the fight order would be according to level, so the men would be first and the ladies last. The first poor unfortunate was a guy who was letting his ego get a little to big for his own good. He bragged that he would defeat this dirty beater, to save the reputation of the guild.

As Kirito took this stand and the countdown began he was more than ready. The idiot charged at Kirito as soon as the duel started, he avoided all his hits, and nothing seemed to work on him. The attacks were so for Kirito that he almost seemed bored, when the idiot was breathing pretty hard, he simply stepped forward, "Done? Alright now its my turn." He ran towards the idiot and attacked as the attack came he used his 2 handed sword to block. The sword shattered into polygons and he was blasted far enough to hit the arena wall. The duel was over and 50% of his HP was gone. This ended with the idiot crying about losing his favorite sword. The other people that were next were watching, if they felt that Kirito was going to be easy, well they were wrong. They had better take their fight seriously or they will die here. Heathcliff could hardly hide his anticipation. He was smiling ear to ear finally he was going to have a decent fight.


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

As Kirito fought one officer of the guild after another, he began wondering several things. first was how did these idiots even survive without proper training? The duels up to this moment lasted in seconds, and 1 of them he got so bored that he decided to fight without his weapons, and still won. This was the toughest officers in the guild supposedly. Little did Kirito know that strength wasn't the only thing that could make a person an officer or even a council member. The first made it into the council because he was head of the recruitment division. The next was head of the supplies and equipment division. The one that he was fighting now looking extremely sure of himself was the head of the finance and investment division. He was also the idiot that sold tickets to this little tournament. He could hardly waste the opportunity of making so much col. There were people that wanted Kirito be beaten for various reason. The laughing coffins wanted him dead, because he killed so many of their members that the group ended up breaking up. The holy dragoons wanted him beaten because Kirito rejected an invitation to join them. Sachi and the former black cats tried their best to apologize, and recruit him but he still told them no. Others because he was seen dating one of the most beautiful girls in all of aincrad, and the opposite was also true many ladies wanted him beaten for not dating one of them instead.

The second thing was why is Heathcliff participating, didn't the man have more than enough on his plate with heading a guild? Heathcliff was considered the strongest player, so it would be clear to everyone that this tournament might as well be called rigged. Even if Kirito managed to defeat the council, the final fight was against the strongest player. This was after back to back duels. The idea was that he would be so tired from fighting the council the leader could make him lose with a feather. The idiot that came up with the plan had no faith in Kirito at all, but what could you expect. The guy was still crying over the loss of his sword after the first duel. But why Heathcliff would participate? Easy, all the fights up to this moment had been boring for him, and he just wanted for once a competent council member to lead the combat division, and a good fight.

The last thing he wondered was what was for dinner? I know why his fighting he should focused. But Asuna practically told him do well and I cook dinner, lose in the first fight and you either pay for what I want or learn to cook it yourself. Half the reason he was finishing the council so fast is because he did not want to learn to cook. Cooking in Aincrad was as boring as watching some monsters eat grass. He had to do good in this tournament no matter what. Skill slots where limited after all.

In the end the last 2 duels decided to fight against him together. these ladies had a bone to pick with him. One was the head of the recon division, she wanted to beat him because of him the guild had to pay for map date, or hear how Asuna for the hundred time managed to get a discount on said data. The last lady was head of the combat division, and 3rd in command of the guild. She knew that if he lost to the guild master after beating her. He would be taking her place on the council. Her pride would not allow that to happen. She was also one of the ladies that Kirito rejected when they asked him out on a date. She was thinking while trying to fight Kirito, look at me, I am strong, beautiful and capable what in the world did Asuna have that she didn't. Kirito after the incident with Velvet had long given up the idea of looking at women just on the surface, he began to look the things beneath the underneath. Asuna was sweet, beautiful and capable. But she had was also focused, courageous, and most important of all loyal.

As the last duel ended a brief recess was called by Heathcliff, they could hardly believe it. Heathcliff told them in no uncertain terms that this fight would determine the fate of someone. He wanted the fight to be fair. Kirito began to think that the real reason was because Heathcliff was either waiting for some new sword, or he was scheming something. Asuna had gone and prepared a special pick me up lunch for him. The idea that her mate needed a little something for that extra energy suddenly came to mind. Little did she know that she also would also encourage him, by being with him some more.

After 10 minutes the final duel was announced, "Kirito I know that you are strong, but please don't underestimate him. Your dual blade skill is a unique skill, but he also has one too. And his has kept him from ever losing HP below the green zone. Fight this like a high floor boss Kirito, I don't want for you to feel bad afterwards if he wins. His skill is called Holy Sword it increases the attributes of his equipment to really high levels." Kirito knew what she was talking about he had heard the same thing from Argo. "Don't you worry, I will do my best to win and be sure I already know about that skill." He took both his swords in hand, and for the first time in this tournament decided to wear his old equipment set. The equipment he wore as captain of the royal guard. Up to this moment he had been using his player made gear, and 2 monster drop swords. This gear was made by the best monster blacksmiths in service to the Red King.

Heathcliff could hardly believe it, when he gave Kirito the chance of live as monster for being the top beta, he never expected him to succeed in winning the same honor from the monster side. Now that he saw him in that gear, the image came back to him in full force. Captain "Twin Fangs" that who Kirito was all along. His Captain of the guard was the 2nd toughest player. Well this came as a surprise, but a pleasant surprise. In all the time as the Red King then he always sent his orders to the Captain with his servant. His servant had been a beautiful young monster lady by the name Velvet, the captain and this servant were supposed to be quite the item, until the time she made the mistake of cheating on him with his vice captain. The same day she quit the royal guard do to medical concerns. Heathcliff had invented the cheaters curse because he too was once cheated, he hated cheaters of that kind.

As he took his sword and shield he waited for the countdown. "So Kirito I hope you manage to keep me entertained!" He told Kirito as he rushed in the attack and Kirito was sure to block the attack but then he was hit in the stomach by the shield. So he used his shield also as a weapon. He needed to get a little more serious about this fight. The fighting was fierce, the tension and awe of seeing the two strongest fight to what many would call a close draw was something. But this fight was lasting longer than all the others combined. Heathcliff was not expecting anything else from his Captain of the guard. It would do him some good to have him back serving him. The royal guard had never been so efficient and well trained after he took the post. This guild needed some of his tough treatment, the slacker would take a decade to even reach the crimson palace.

Kirito had long abandoned the dual skills and had taken the stance of using single handed skills one with each sword. He believed that this would give him an element of surprise. But as he was about to hit the last hit to win this duel something happened, something was off and he knew something was wrong. Heathcliff moved a little too fast for a player, even a monster as he was about to launch his attack he was hit by his opponent's sword and the duel which had kept every person on the edge of their seats ended. He was face up on the ground. For a second there he was feeling like he was seeing the full body painting of the Red King, but how he did not know, as the image was the last push to cause him to faint. Asuna rushed to his side, and tried to see if there was anything wrong. As Heathcliff left the arena floor you could hardly miss the smile on his face.

In his mind he was laughing like he won the lottery, and with a stoic face he turned around and looked at Kirito once again. "Welcome back twin fangs, I sure missed you. Clean up this pathetic wimps for me Captain." Heathcliff whispered as he saw that Kirito had recovered thanks to Asuna and was looking at him. Kirito was thinking too, "If that is really the Red King, then it could only be one person. Kayaba Akihiko. I need more proof to expose him. Nobody would believe me otherwise."


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

_To answer some of the things mentioned in the reviews. Kirito as far as I can recall first fell the first clues on who Heathcliff really was on their duel in the anime as to what is going to happen he did technically lose, so the only thing that can happen but I would think that being high ranking would also change the fate of at least 1 player in the Knights of the Blood Oath. Why I placed him in my story as a high member instead of how he was shown, well for two reasons, first to illustrate that Heathcliff actually values his abilities, 2nd to allow a change in how his training mission would or should have gone down, and lastly it would explain why Heathcliff would go to such lengths to recruit him into the guild. The Red King needed him to whip his pawns into shape. _

To say that Kirito was not happy would not be surprising, in fact it would be obvious. There he was on his mate's bed wearing something that in a few days ago he would not wear if his life depended on it. Being the newly appointed Head of the Combat Division he was granted a few abilities. He had a direct line of communication between himself and the members of the guild. 2nd he had a direct access to the members status screens and skills progress list. This had been granted by Heathcliff to see where the troops had to improve. Last but not least he could live with Asuna, without anyone questioning him why he could be with the most beautiful lady that was not an NPC. Some players plain forgot that some of these ladies where not Player. This fact was even proven when a player did not only date an NPC lady, but also married her. He was happy his wife was an equipment merchant, and he had a pretty nice life in her home.

The way Asuna came into their bedroom was almost like he was a student being sent to the principals office. She really was looking down, worried, and really apologetic. "Kirito I know that joining a guild was never your goal, so I am sorry that things ended up like this?" Kirito looked at the ceiling and with a sight, "I am not, there is so many things you can't do alone. There is also the best chance to train the supposed toughest guild to live up to that rep. Lastly do you think I am sorry for having such a wonderful mate? if you think I do then I might have to tell the boss to give you some time off. Because stress would obviously be getting to you."

"Asuna, I get to be with my beloved, and have a decent paying job. Please stop looking at me like that." Asuna saw him looking at her. Asuna was both relieved, and happy. She knew that Kirito had issues with joining a guild, but for the all she knew she did not remember why? Someone that skilled would sure be a catch for any guild. She was happy because he continued to admit that he loved her, was considerate to her, and worried for her health." Asuna got a nearby chair and sat down. "Kirito I need to know something. I don't think we ever went into detail why you hated joining a guild, but if we did I am sorry to ask you again. I just can't seem to remember your answer about it."

Kirito sat on the bed, "Don't worry I don't mind answering your questions as long as you do the same. Let's see why I didn't join a guild before? I did join a guild the guild was a small one called the Moonlit Black Cats." Asuna interrupted, "Wasn't that one that their leader went into hiding because some player killer guild was after him?" Kirito smiled at remembering the fate of the backstabber. Laughing Coffins was not something that anyone would want to have after you. They were the top red guild in assassinations, kidnappings, and extortion. "Well he made himself a target because he decided to foolishly flaunt his new wealth. Well back on topic. The guild was disorganized, the players while good people had horrible training habits. Honestly if I did not try and train them they would all end up dead. I designed a very demanding training schedule. They complained that it was not a training schedule, but the torture schedule for people in Hell. Sachi and I joined together and we were pretty good friends once. I helped her train since the 1st day we were here until we had issues."

Kirito smiled sadly at that, it was obvious that he and her were once close. But he did not give his mate a chance to ask. "I saw them go from a guild barely being able to buy drinks at a bar, to clearing some floor boss rooms. I will look like I am tooting my own horn, but my schedule did wonders. The thing that made it all fall apart was when I found out that the leader took money to buy a really expensive building. This was supposed to be the new guild headquarters. The guild was finally going to have a place to meet, and recruit people. But as I can remember he also did several things that did not agree with me. First he bough the building, but instead of naming the owner the guild he named himself. The guild appeared only as the property listing title. When I objected, the entire guild turned on me. He had told the entire guild that their new training was his idea, and that they followed me because it was their school buddy from the other life had pretty told them too. I felt betrayed, I spent a long time developing that training, and this guy just took the credit for all my work. Then he used money that was supposed to benefit the guild, to benefit himself. I objected, but then the worst happened. Sachi defended him against my accusation. I was told to leave, so I did. From that moment on I was a solo player, never would I allow this to happen again! Hope that answers your question, my sweet."

Asuna's face blushed brightly, "Well this guild is many things but betrayal is something I don't expect from its members. We all need each other to grow stronger after all. That color scheme, I think I can try and get the leader to let you chose your own." Kirito smiled at her, "If you did the days of the guild uniform would be over, and morale would go down. People would want the same ability and bug the boss for it." Asuna simply has to say that was something that could happen. "Why don't you call him by his name? why call him boss?" He simply mentioned that he paid him a paycheck didn't he? Asuna was laughing as after that. He sure did, and not a bad one either. Kirito did not mention to her or chose not to mention to her one detail. It was the same amount he received as Captain of the Royal Guard. One more proof that he was the Red King. He set the pay amount then too.

But for now he needed to train the troops and gain their loyalty. If he had the back of the entire Combat Division he would have a much easier time in exposing Kayaba. He told his beloved mate, that they should try and sleep early today. His day tomorrow was going to be busy. Little did he know how bad it was going to be, but he decided to look for one skill out of his troops. The skill to make poisons, and sure enough there was a few people that knew how to make poisons. It was a useful hunting ability but he saw a name that made him wonder for what else did he use it for, the name was Kuradeel.

As he walked towards his division office, he was greeted by the very lady he had replaced. The former head was now his assistant. The pay was less, and she would have to help the guy that took her job. This was one unhappy assistant. "Well, sir. There is something you need to do for the division. It was an unheard tradition that the new head, would have to follow the orders of the last. The orders are that he take 2 of the top of our division on a little training trip. I think that a lower floor would be a good example of the new training regiment you sent me." What she did not mention that it was also a floor were the favorite hunting ground of the laughing coffin members. This would be a good chance for him to die and she regain her position, so much for loyalty. Asuna wanted to object, but saw that he would be able to take care of himself.

He immediately walked towards the portal where 2 members where waiting. One looked like he did not sleep at all, and the other behaved like a kid on a field trip. "Names and weapon preference." Kirito stepped in his trainer role. "Godfrey, double handed sword sir." Godfrey was nice and disciplined. "Kuradeel, same as the meet head next to me!" He could see that Godfrey and him were in for a long trip. "We will all buy something for our meal, Godfrey you will buy our fruit. Kuradeel you will buy our drink, and I will buy our food since it is the most expensive part." Kuradeel was happy to hear that. "Now next you will keep your healing crystals but you may only use it in case of emergencies. Keep a healing and poison crystal in your quick item slots." There went the happy look on Kuradeel's face. "We will clear all the fields on the 55 floor. It should be a quick and simple training trip. Pkers are to be arrested, and brought before the leader and the council for trial. What are you waiting for? We don't have all day. Move it!" Both the members ran to get the things, he did not. Asuna packed him a lunch with 3 sandwich, he sure had to thank god for him having a mate that could cook like there was no tomorrow.

To Kirito the training trip was more of a lecture, and an incredibly boring one from the sour look on Kuradeel's face. He taught them to be efficient and even though they were pretty decent fighters, he ended up saving them a couple of time. He fixed their careless attitude quickly. Constant Vigilance was the main idea he was teaching, never trust an enemy always watch out. It was mid afternoon when Godfrey asked if they could stop to eat, Kirito did not want their hunger to be an excuse for slacking later. He called a stop and told each to hand each other their portion of the meal, Kirito did first as an example. Godfrey just took the sandwich, but Kuradeel took the time to see if the sandwich had anything thing besides food on it. At least one student was paying attention, even if he did look like he wasn't. Godfrey offered an apple to each, and last was Kuradeel with a jug of juice. He laughed and said that it was a gift to their new division head. He needed to make a good impression. Both him and Godfrey had the look that screamed to late for that.

Kirito had many abilities, but his monster abilities were not listed or known. One was to know if something had a poison on it or in it from touch. He pretended to eat, and drink. He ate his sandwich but pretended to drink juice. Godfrey just ate his food and enjoyed the juice. Kuradeel looked like he won the lottery, as he happily devoured his sandwich. Godfrey fell down, and Kirito knew it was a paralysis poison on the juice. So he pretended to not being able to move, as Kuradeel saw Godfrey try and use the poison healing crystal. He kicked it out of his hand. There was all the proof he needed. He got back up, and pointed his hand. **"Demon's healing touch!" **No one knew that there was such a skill available to players, and there wasn't it was a high monster healing ability. Godfrey was pretty mad at Kuradeel who was sweating profusely. "So Kuradeel want to tell us when you and your buddies going to begin your little ambush?" Godfrey looked surprised, "Gee, your detection skills must be pretty high for you to even see us! I am impressed teach!" Some laughing coffin members came out of hiding. Kirito just look at them with a look of sheer murder on his face, "Now lets dance bozo." The laughing coffins and Kuradeel began their attack.


	16. Chapter 16

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

It turned out that Kirito had been underplaying his actual skills. This came to a sever shock to Kuradeel and the other laughing coffin members present, one was even scared for his life. "This is supposed to be the pompous weakling that cheating his way into being the head of a division. You have got to be kidding me. This has all the marking of a trap, if we make it out of here I will have that witch's head for this. The guy seemed like he has been in combat all his life." Said one of the laughing coffins as he tried for dear life to evade Kirito's attacks.

Godfrey had also lied, much as their new division head ordered him in the letter he received previous night. Godfrey was a good 2 handed swordsman, but he was even better heavy mace fighter. The killers were having a really tough time, he knocked one guy and Kirito moved in for the kill. In a matter of 10 minutes 4 of their most skilled killers had died. A guy who was watching from the cover of darkness quickly noticed Kirito's eyes. "The cruel precision, and lack of remorse as he kills out members. If this situation was different the Guild Master would try to recruit this guy. But we are under contract to have him and any witnesses eliminated."

Kirito was not happy one bit as his hearing picked up every whisper. So the former division head planned this, not even a single day in command and a guild member was betraying him. This was to be expected, some guilds just can't bother doing some background checks can they, or bother to look at the mental health of their officers. It was to much bother, so what if they betray each other. As long as the Guild Master was happy who cares who kills who. That was the kind of mentality that made Kirito sick to his stomach. Some people in the guilds were worse than some so called monsters.

But as half the original number of the laughing coffin members were dead, some began to run away. When they got close Godfrey quickly restrained them. The ones still wielding their weapons were to overconfident to even consider, one even shouted at Kirito. "You bastard how dare you kill my pal, I will get revenge for him!" Kirito began to laugh, a laugh so cold that it stopped every single person and some nearby monsters in place, "So a killer is crying because his killer buddy was killed. Well excuse me if I don't break into tears. If you don't surrender I will kill you just like anyone would kill vermin. Because to me that is what you are, vermin." The only one left holding a weapon was Kuradeel. "Asuna was supposed to be mine, I deserve her. Not some pathetic loser like you! Why can't you and that meat head die already. I had this whole speech about an ambush and you two dying valiantly. The me avenging your deaths. I was supposed to come out looking like a hero for this!" Kuradeel attacks and kept making excuses. He did not even bother trying to attack he simply evaded all the hits. The hits that had been close to hit he deflected them like it was nothing. A child playing against his teacher was the impression Godfrey had as he watched the fight.

40 minutes of trying his best and Kuradeel was on the ground having a hard time just breathing. Fatigue and muscle pain was making it impossible to continue. "If you are quite done, surrender or you might be in for some pain." Kuradeel would not surrender to this punk so he though. Kirito stored one of the blades in the corresponding sheath. He walked to him and with both hands on single blade attacked, the cure hit right above the knee and both legs from the knew down shattered into polygons. Kuradeel felt that and began to scream in pain and began to sob uncontrollably. He got ready to attack but waited to give him a chance to surrender. He did not. Next attack cut at the shoulder on the right and the arm came off. Again he waited, and again he attacked the left side this time. He had could not stand, had no arms and was in massive pain. Just as he was ready to go for the head he screamed, **"Alright, I give up. I am not dying for that bitch. The chick you replaced wanted you out of the way! Please, Kirito show some mercy!" **Godfrey looked like he was given a present. "Looks like we have what we needed, boss. Lets talk these crooks to prison and show this to the leader. I can't wait to see that traitor's face." Kirito simply had him place all the player killers and Kuradeel in a single group. "I have a better idea, lets use a crystal." He tossed at them a crystal and saw Godfrey smile. "Hope you set the location to the prison." Kirito smiled and told him he did, only that they would have a little bit of a surprise for the guards on duty. He sent them to the prison kitchen after all.

He could not keep from laughing as he pictured the look on the cooks face as a bunch of crooks landed sitting on their hot stoves. The cooks did laugh and said that barbequed crook was not on today's menu. But Kirito did make one mistake, he did not use a player crystal but a monster crystal. The crooks did end up on the kitchen of the prison, the monster prison. As they took them off the stove the crooks could not help but to hear one one of the inmates say, Fie, Five, Foe, Fum, I smell the roasted rear end of a human. Getting his knife and fork, the cooks saying in a microphone and was heard in the dining room, **"Dinner is ready, Come and get it!" **Kuradeel and the laughing coffin members were never seen again.

Heathcliff was not at all angry about how the situation was resolved. It was a valuable example, if you betray Kirito like that you would not live to regret it. The former head of the combat division who had been assigned the position of his assistant begged, pleaded, and even tried to seduce Kirito. Nothing worked. Heathcliff was too kind in his punishment and he felt that Kirito's punishment was too cruel. Kirito wanted to assign her a knew duty. Her duty would be cleaner and manager of the order's bathrooms. In other words cleaning toilets. He simply lost all her col, equipment and was tossed out of the guild wearing nothing but rags. Typical guild exile. She promised that when she gathered enough col for some good equipment she would look for Kirito and get her revenge. When Kirito was told he simply mentioned that when that day came it would be her funeral. It did not matter male or female. You attacked him, you die.

Kirito was gaining the reputation of being the trainer that could make monster cry. The training regiment was indeed tough, but extremely effective. Losses from combat had been reduced by 50% and that was only in 1 month. Heathcliff was happy to have his captain back. He secretly began to feel that in a couple of months they would begin to advance in clearing floors. But unknown to his Kirito had begun to also earn the gratitude and loyalty of the guild. It was thanks to him that they could sleep, eat, and live without fear. After all who would fear monsters after enduring a month of his training. There was a collective thought in the guild at night, "Boy am I glad he is on our side!"


	17. Chapter 17

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Asuna was both shocked and amazed at the way Kirito behaved in his position. Her mate had a steel cold look on his eyes, when she dealt with subordinates and excuses. He ordered a pair to kill a thousand monsters using only their blades. This was of course for the purpose to level up their blade skills. In his mind pick 2 weapons and stick to them, the idea of being a master of all weapons seemed cool, but in reality it would not make you good enough to survive. So he accepted no excuses, he did not set a time limit so for him that was kind. The odd thing was that even some marine drill instructors got trapped in this place. Kirito could be right down so hard in his teaching and leadership Asuna could swear that he could have made those drill instructors cry.

Kirito was dealing with a severely unfocused, undisciplined, and down right impulsive group. He needed to be hard, and not allow emotions to come into his decision. This was the only way to make sure these people survived. His training methods began to really pay off for some people that were considered wimps before. The way the lowest members improved made the supposed tough guys look lazy, so they were pushed to improve. 1 month that is how fast it took. But Kirito was done training them and they were improving in more than 1 way. They made the group that was called the army seem like a bunch of lazy extortionist. The people in Aincrad knew that if you want to look at an army the combat division of the knights of the blood oath was a perfect example.

Heathcliff was so happy you could hardly believe the times he just started laughing, and smiling. His little pawn had been whipped into shape, but what else would he expect from his captain of the guard. It was nice having him back in something that was similar to his monster position. He had a few suspicions that Kirito was trying to find evidence to expose him. But that did not matter to him, he was going to exposed eventually anyways. He even went as far as leaving some pieces of evidence in really hard to find places. If he found them, then he would call it rewarding his captain's effort.

Velvet's curse was over, but that did not mean her life was safer, or healthier. Her stats had reduced so much by that time that she could die at any moment. Yui was forbidden from talking to the players, essentially rendering her job obsolete. But the position had an index of all the players, she instead of getting depressed used her position to find her daddy. She needed to find him, it was her mama's final wish to be able to apologize and introduce him to their daughter. She knew that her mama would do that so that she would be safe with her papa.

The activity of a new head of the combat division of the strongest guild caught her attention. She was sure that she saw that armor in one of the pictures her mama had of her papa. She called up her own journal and in it was the picture, sure enough it was the same armor. She set it up so that a pack of wolves attack a farmstead in the 22th floor. She knew this farmstead was the main food supplier for that guild. Having some administrative privileges came in handy sometimes.

Heathcliff sent his 2 toughest members to deal with the situation. When they reached the farmstead the npcs were so happy that they shouted welcomes and invited inside their home. They told them that the wolves attack their lambs at the evening and they were all black with no shadows under them. This made no sense Shadowless wolves were carnivores alright but a lamb would be a snack to them not a meal.

As Kirito waited for the wolves to appear, Asuna stood near him and when she saw them she nudged him. The weird things started to happen. The wolves simply walked up to him and bowed, the lead wolf began to talk. Since she was his mate she understood every word of the exchange. "Captain Kirito, I and my pack have come on the behave of Lady Velvet. She urgently wishes for you to meet with her on a matter of great importance."

He looked at the wolf, and the wolf was a little afraid. "Tell me why I should meet my cheating former mate, and why I should allow you to leave here alive?" The apparent mate of the lead wolf answered, "We have hurt no invaders directly. The farm attack was to get your attention. The reason for the meeting is that she had something very important to tell you before she dies. Velvet knows that you are in your right to deny this meeting, but please it is the final wish of a person you once loved so much. Would you deny her a peaceful end to her life?" Kirito pondered the request, and it was only thru Asuna that Velvet got her wish. She convinced him that it was the right thing to do. He agreed, how could he not agree with the way even his mate was pleading in favor. The wolves took them to a nearby cave, the lambs were there. They had not hurt a single one.

The situation was resolved and the farmers were happy. He immediately sent a request to Heathcliff for some leave from his duties, as he needed to resolve some private matters. The leader agreed but only if Asuna went as well. He got 2 weeks leave of absence more than enough. The lead wolf and his mate led them to the floor where Velvet called her home,which surprisingly was the 22nd floor.

Velvet was bed ridden when they both entered her home. She could hardly believe it, Yui had found her papa after all. "Kirito, I would like to get up and greet you properly, but my condition and stats do not allow me the joy of hugging someone I loved so. I assume the lady next you is your current mate. It is a pleasure to meet you my name is Velvet, former mate of the Captain of the Royal Guard. please have a seat, this will not take long."

Kirito and Asuna sat by her bedside. "Kirito it was true that in a moment of foolishness I accepted one of your brother's many advances towards me. I was so very lonely with you always at the office, and in my stupidity I accepted. I endured the curse ever since, as many stat points you grew the more I lost. It was only you choosing another mate that spared me to meet you. I am sorry Kirito, I should have told you after it happened, maybe if I had been more brave. You could have forgiven me and I would still be able to enjoy your warmth and love. But I did not and my inaction caused me to lose you to another. Please Asuna learn from my mistake, you can't imagine the pain the loss has caused me."

"You are forgiven, and you are correct had you explained it to me I would have done something to remedy the situation. If I had known you were lonely I would have had your living quarters reassigned to mine in the palace. I too suffered a great deal from your act. It was only Asuna that managed to heal most of my broken heart." Velvet understood where he was coming from. It was then that Kirito was pushed out of the chair and onto the floor with a black haired girl hugging him. Velvet gave a weak laugh, "So you couldn't wait anymore more. You should try and be more patient with your papa. Sorry about that Kirito, I guess I should introduce you to Yui she is the child we both brought to this word. Yui this is your papa Kirito, but you already knew that. The lady sitting near my bed is his mate Asuna. She will be your new mother if she will allow it." Asuna hugged Yui and allowed her mate to try and take his seat again. "All I ask is that you spend with me my final 4 days so I can tell you about our child, and can leave this world knowing you will look after the child that our love once produced."

He was a member of the council of the knights of the blood oath, mate to the 2nd in command lightning flash Asuna, and now he had a daughter. How much more could his life change. He wondered what his life had been different had he taken the initiative and moved Velvet's living quarters from the start. But at the time he could not imagine taking Velvet away from her parent's floor or the field of flowers she loved taking care of. How I decision change your life so much for the better or for the worse. He was happy with Asuna, but felt guilty of being absent from his only daughters life.


	18. Chapter 18

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Kirito made sure that Velvets last days had been a relatively happy ones. He got to know about Yui and the question that he needed to ask was who did their daughter take after. Velvet laughed, she joked that she took after both her parents. Kirito began to explain why he did not come home after the incident, she understood why it would be his reasons. She then had a great time telling Asuna about some of the most embarrassing moments she ever had with him. Asuna could only help but to do the same. During the entire conversation it was torture plain and simple for Kirito. When he could not stand it anymore he told Yui that they should let the ladies talk about these thing by themselves. She did follow but not without pouting in a cute way and telling him that she was a lady too.

As soon as they left they began to talk about the really important things. What things was Yui allergic to, when it was her birthday, in what way she approved of her being disciplined, sleeping schedule and studies. The thing mothers worry about their daughters. Asuna believed that much like her she would take good care of their little girl. "So what weapons does she use?" Velvet looked at her smiling she answered, "She uses like me a 2 handed sword. She could not have learned Kirito's style. They only just met after all. She might be young but she is also a mental health specialist. She can diagnose, and treat people with mental problems." Asuna wondered how could she know so much? "Our kids inherit much of their knowledge from their parents. She inherited my job and weapons skills. From Kirito she inherited his detection and tracking skills."

"She will learn some skills as she grows up, but unlike her dad she will have a much longer lifespan. Lets face it choosing to remain in that invader form has reduced his lifespan." Velvet told Asuna who still confused. "Why would you and his mother both tell me that Kirito will live less because he looks like a player?" Velvet began to cough and after a little while she regained her composer. "Asuna, what I am about to tell you is going to seem unbelievable are you sure you want to know?" Asuna gave a nod and waited. "Well Asuna the Red King might believe himself that he invented this place, but he did not. He only invented for ways for the minds of the invaders to be able to appear here and interact with it. When this supposed game is over you will believe that this place is destroyed. But in reality it will continue, you will simply lose the ability to interact and be here. Kirito once told me of the invader tournament prize, to live as a monster so he said. That is not true Asuna. The program recognized something hidden in his own subconscious. His true identity and his own real appearance. I imagine something caused your invented avatar to take the form of your real selves." Asuna immediately remember the mirror. "So how tall is Kirito she asked her?" Velvet tried hard to remember, "Oh, I would say about the size his father is right now. He was such a tall, muscular, handsome male. Sweeter than any candy and more loyal than any wolf clan monster." Velvet had an almost dreamy look on her face. "You still love him don't you?" Asuna told her and she could not deny it. "I always have and more than likely will till the day I am no more." Velvet was both happy and sad. To be so close to her once beloved and be in her situation would do that to anyone.

"Does that mean that this mark has appeared on my original body?" Asuna looked at Velvet almost worried, "Of course it has, along with your other changes. You do remember that your body did change a little don't you?" Well this would cause the doctor to go in a panic, what she remember the first time is that her hips and breast where different a teenager body changing and a strange tattoo appearing on her would sure cause them to panic. "That would mean that in my world there are the same kind of monsters that are here?" Velvet saw the worry and without any effort took her councilor role. "Asuna, I am just guessing. But monsters in that dimension might have long ago abandoned their real forms to fit it with your people. Would you not find a horned man 50 feet talk wearing work clothes and a huge tail waiving a little scary? Try to picture Kirito's dad in overalls as a farmer and you will see what I mean." Asuna did see what she was saying. "After a lot of generations people either forgot or they mixed with your kind. It is tragic to go from a lifespan in the thousands to mere decades, but it must have been necessary."

"Well enough about that tell me what you can do?" Velvet asked her, "What do you mean what can I do?" Asuna answered almost defensively. "What are your hobbies for one? I would like to get to know the female that will be mother to one of my greatest treasures after all." Asuna understood immediately, "Reading, cooking, fencing now, and home management." Velvet simply smiled, "Why the perfect little mate aren't you!" Asuna blushed at the comment, "Why are you not in your monster form then?" Asuna asked her she looked sad, "I can't be I too had to assume this invader form. The weight of my real form would have cause me to die months ago. I had to see Yui with Kirito. I had to make sure my greatest treasure had someone to look after them before I was gone." Velvet tried hard not to cry but tears were forming around her eyes. She began to think on how much she had missed Kirito, and how there life would be different has things happen in another way. Raising their child together, growing old, and watching when their child was full grown with a mate and children of her own. That would have been wonderful, but it did not happen.

The final day came, she was breathing hard as Kirito and Yui held her hands. As her life began to come to an end she changed into her monster form. Crimson silky fur and great big green eyes was what Asuna saw. She must have been considered a real beauty much like Kirito's mother in her youth. At the last moment of her life she whispered something to Kirito and he smiled, Asuna asked Yui what she had said and with tears in her eyes she told her, "Be happy my love. I will watch over you two from the afterlife."

As the family goes to the funeral of Velvet, Yui can not help but to cry about the death of her mother. Kirito and Asuna try their best to make her feel better, but what can they do to make her feel less sad about the loss of her mother. Kirito holds his daughter and tells her that he will never leave her, and that Velvet is still there with them. Yui asks her daddy where is her mother if she is there with them. He points directly at her heart. Kirito smiles, "She is in you. She will always be there, and so will I." Yui cries in happiness this time cause of the touching thing her father said to her. "We will always be a family, and trust me Asuna will be a good mommy to you. So smile my little sunshine. I want to see that smile shine." Yui was surprised as he called her little sunshine. That was the way her mommy used to call her. Asuna can help but to be touched by how father and daughter are being so sweet to each other, specially after such a long separation. Kirito behaving like she had known his daughter all her life. Yui timidly asked Asuna one thing. "Asuna, it is alright if I call you mommy?" Asuna did not say a word she just jugged her. "I am your mommy, and we both love you very much. You made my dream come true."


	19. Chapter 19

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

To say the honeymoon was a success was to be expected, but for them to show up to their home with a daughter with them was a surprise. She was really cute too. Boy some guys get all the lucky breaks. He got a good paying job in the top guild, a sexy wife, and an adorable daughter. I mean how lucky can a guy get.

One of his subordinates was not happy, not happy at all. She had hoped that working with him, she could work her way into his heart, and more importantly into his pocket book. Rosalia was a former member of an orange guild. When she heard of Kirito and what department he was being placed in charge she abandoned the Titan's hand in less time it took her to blink. She was able to join pretty quickly because she was an experience spear user with a clean criminal record. It was the experience with her weapon, and being able to use her looks to get ahead that allowed her to be one of the high ranking assistants to Kirito. The fateful day that she met him, she was practically drooling. Kirito was against wasting col in any possible way. So he wore the same armor set, and nobody ever remembered him spending money on just fun things.

The division had some weird ways to have fun. Spending good col on some npc women to have a little action in bed, or spending it on items as gifts to npc women for dates. Kirito was a firm believer that actions speak louder than simple gifts. He never wasted his col. To Rosalia that was something that looked like a feast waiting to happen. If she managed to seduce him. She could manipulate him to get her better gear, and access to his col bank account. So what if she had to sleep with him to do that all the better. She would get lucky in more than one way. But this little plot came crashing down. Kirito had married the vice commander of the guild. She was beautiful before, but right now she believed that she even made her look plain. To make matters worse he had a daughter, Rosalia hated the idea of having kids.

If she could not have him, she would make certain that no one could keep him. She knew that she had to do everything she could to have him for herself. What Rosalia did not have in ethics she had in contacts in orange guilds or the worst of the red guilds. PoH was after all one of her most frequent customers in the past. She could just get rid of the wife, and kid. The widower would be a lot easier prey for her. The main thing was to keep training, and being useful to Kirito. That way no one would suspect her of trying off his supposed wife and daughter. Rosalia did not even bother in keeping her schemes to herself, she did not check for possible was for her own scheming could be recorded, possible surveillance Kirito assigned to watch her actions. She was a former orange guild member, and people do say that once a crook always a crook.

What Rosalia did not know that Heatcliff knew exactly what she was after, he knew all her previous and current activities. He simply had to use a system command and the cardinal system would provide him with a detail report on any thing within Aincrad. He of course knew the real reason Rosalia joined, but lets face it she was also perfect bait to replenish attract members when a few died in fighting the monsters. But if she became a problem she would be dealt with in the appropriate fashion.

Yui was quite happy at her new home, she even started to pick up some of her mommy's habits. She loved to read, and try new things from her mommy's cook books. It seems that this was a particular skill they both enjoyed using, specially now. To them cooking was more that preparing a meal, when each prepared a meal for Kirito they might share similar feelings in different ways. To Asuna preparing a meal for him was an expression of her love for him, the meal also meant that she loved her daughter too insuring she had proper nutrition. To Yui preparing a meal for both Asuna and Kirito was her way to tell her parents that she cared, and a way for her to see how proud they were of her. To the onlooker it was the typical scene of a happy family. Some of the NPC even made a comment that they wished their kids were as well behaved as Yui. She blushed, and Kirito kissed her forehead. "She is my precious daughter. We are very proud of our child." Kirito on his days off was practicing sword techniques with both of them or he was teacher her things that she could not have learned in Aincrad.

At night as the couple slept together, they often wondered if the players could come to this world, could they find a way for their daughter to come to theirs. They simply couldn't imagine life without her with them. Kirito promised Asuna that he would find a way. Little did they know that Yui had found a way to do that. Since she was half monster and half invader in theory she was not constrained by the rules of this world. She could in theory transform her physical structure to data and then transfer to what her daddy called his nervegear. But this was difficult, because she would need to access the cardinal system directly. This means she needed a terminal to use her administrator privileges. But the area where there terminals was guarded by high level keepers. She wanted to be able to stay with her mommy and daddy, but she did not want to risk their lives on it. These were very confusing and conflicting emotions. To Kirito and Asuna she looked like she was confused, and troubled. But being the loving parent's that they were they would respect Yui's personal rights. If she was troubled and did not know what to do. They would simply tell her that either of them would always listen to her problems. But this had to wait till morning. As the family went to sleep, and the moon shines thru the window. They dreamed about how life would be, the parents growing old together as Yui became an adult. She finding love and eventually coming to her parent's home to present to them their grandchildren. It was a nice dream that ended as the old couple hugged a little girl.

The following morning Kirito and Asuna woke up to a wonder smell. It seems that their daughter woke up early so that she could cook for them a wonderful breakfast. As the boy got up and dressed except for their gloves, they walked out to see their daughter was setting the table. Kirito decided to tease his little girl. "Asuna, it seems our little girl is growing up so fast." Asuna joined in,"Well you know what they say, little girls mature quicker than little boys." Kirito looked at her and smiled, "I had a nice dream about her being grown up." Asuna was surprised but she mentioned that she had the exact same dream. Yui decided to get in her own comment. "Well I am not getting married any time soon, so as far as I care you and mommy will have to wait to be grandparents." They ate their breakfast and each talked about what they had planned for today. Kirito was going to start a hunt for the killer guilds and bring a sense of safety back to Aincrad. Asuna was going to rework some of the old guild facilities to be more efficient, and Yui was going to make her doll and a new dress for her. "Well looks like we will have an artisan in the family. I guess she takes after you, my love." Kirito told Asuna. She simply smiled.


	20. Chapter 20

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

The very next week an issue came to the desk of Heathcliff, and it was an issue that made it something to check out. It turns out that the facility where the Aincrad Liberation Army had it's headquarters and housed the prisoners also had a dungeon. But unlike most dungeons this one seemed to grow in depth. The higher the players cleared their way to the final boss. the bigger this dungeon grew. Kirito and the rest of the council were told all this, and they were mad, angry enough to want to expose the guild. They share everything equally my eye, said Kirito. If they have sole access to a dungeon that continues to grow. They not only monopolized a possible income and resource source, but also a training field. Furthermore he had received some alarming letters from Klein. He had gone to the first floor to check if anyone would want to join his guild. He wrote that the people had their hard earned col extorted, he believes that the army calls is taxed for their services. This situation had to be investigated, and if the information is correct. They should be exposed, and possibly be criminal charges be placed on them. Kirito was furious, he wanted this to stop and now! Being the Head of the Combat Division made sense for Kirito to be upset. A training field with new monsters provided huge benefit in training their troops. It could also provide better equipment for them and would make them more ready to take on the remaining floors.

Heathcliff of course knew of the dungeon. He just needed an excuse to demand that the rest of the guild investigate the existence of it. This would allow the discovery of the dungeon, without him being exposed as who he really was. The Red King wanted to train his pawns, but he did not want to be exposed. That would simply ruin his schemes. He already knew who to send to make this issue known without possible risks. Kirito and Asuna would go there under the pretense of going on a family vacation. If they saw something illegal they had his permission to stop it, document it and release it to the general public.

Kirito only had one thing to say in the council chambers, "The issue will be exposed, but it the bastards try to kill my loved ones. I don't care how much they beg, heads will roll." The rest of the council was completely in support of what he said. He had the right to protect his family. Some secretly hoped that Kirito would kill the leaders of that guild so they could try and get access to those possible new crafting ingredients. There was a one in Kirito's office that wanted said family dead. When she heard of the vacation, she immediately put in a secret letter to Kibaou he was a high member of the "Army", but Rosalia knew him as the unofficial 3rd in charge of the murder guild laughing coffins. So this would interest him. The loss of his lover just made it more personal. Nobody knew that Kuradeel and Kibaou were in such a private relationship. Kibaou missed him greatly, and this would provide a way for him to get revenge on his lover's killer.

After the meeting he sent the details of his plan to his favorite business owner. He needed some special way to hide their weapons, armor, and made it appear like they were wearing casual clothes. He told him as much as he had been allowed. The dungeon and possible ramifications. Agil was all for it, knew items would do his business a lot of good. He gathered his very best equipment crafting players and began to work on the problem. It took then less than 2 hours to design, create and deliver the charm bracelets. It was ingenious the way it was designed. But Agil only made 2 and had the designs destroyed, and the people sworn to secrecy. The design could be used by a criminal and so he did not want it to fall in their hands.

Kibaou received the details of Kirito's mission threw an item disguised as a monster drop in a trade. The only thing she needed was to put the message as the item description. Rosalia made it quite clear, kill only his female companions if she learned that something happened to him. She would hunt him down through all her contacts, and Kibaou knew they were extensive. PoH himself would kill him for a chance to be with her again.

Kirito, Asuna and Yui went to the first floor start city. They arrived and everyone including NPC believed that they were a family from another floor on vacations. They began walking in the plaza, sight seeing. Kirito and Asuna told Yui about their time at this city. Kirito told his daughter of his favorite hunting grounds. She sure liked the idea of hunting with her family. She wanted to see how her daddy and mommy fight. They registered to a local inn and the NPC manager was happy to see her once guest look so happy. Asuna introduced her to the family, "Alice, this is my husband and my precious little girl. Family this is Alice she is the manager of this Inn." They both bowed and replied that it was a pleasure to meet each other. Kirito took accepted the key to their room and decided to go to the room.

The room as actually pretty big, it had 2 beds and a small living room. On the nightstand was a list of food items they could order using the list. "I guess we need to question the NPC and players to find out about the taxes, and the truth behind the dungeon underneath Black Iron Palace. If we are lucky we can get the info in less time than we need." Yui look surprised and asked, "Why the rush, daddy?" Asuna knew why, but she let Kirito tell her. "Yui, this city is liked by many people. People who want to wait for someone else to defeat the Red King. They will be released from this place and they can go home. I know that doesn't mean much sweety, this is your home but to them it is a prison the Red King trapped them in. Then there are the worst people, the orange and red invaders. They like this city because it would mean easy targets. Some even like it because they want to find a way to release their criminal friends from the prison in black iron palace. We need to finish this quickly because your mommy and me put a lot of people there. They will want revenge and are not going to stop to try and hurt you." Kirito looked worried, but Yui simply slapped her hand on her chest and said, "Let them try I am the daughter of the Crimson Eyes Fiend. I am no weakling!"

Both Kirito and Asuna laughed as they saw their daughter act like that. There family began to walk towards a big chapel they remembered. That is when it happened. A group of players in the "Army" were chasing a young busty looking nun, and a few children. "Hey, You might as well stop you are running towards a dead end!" one of the players chasing them said. As they reached the mentioned dead end they nun and kids where trapped. Asuna and Kirito with Yui on his back listened in on what was happening. "Alright, you are due to pay your taxes. You owe a lot. So everyone take off all your gear, and you will pay the difference with your body!" The bastard was going to take all their gear and demanded to have sexual intercourse with the nun. That was the last straw they both jumped over the "Army" players. "Guys put your items back on and step back. We got this." Said Kirito. "Kirito take care of Yui, I got to get rid of the garbade." Said Asuna with a menacing look on her face. The young nun simply asked if she was going to be safe. "Asuna is going to be fine, Isn't that right Yui?" Yui smiled and looked excited, "Yea, mommy is super tough. She is going to beat them up good!"

"You should step aside you are obstructing official business of the Aincrad Liberation Front!" The leader told her. She did not wait a second before taking touching her bracelet and releasing her weapon. She attacked him which sent him falling on the ground. The look on his face was of sheer panic. "Oh, don't worry you are in a safe zone. Your HP will not deplete. But that does not mean that you don't feel the pain. You wanted to force yourself on that nun. For that I will teach you a new meaning to the phrase in a world of pain. Your equipment will break and you will beg me to stop but you will run away, crying and lose all your armor! Mark my words you will pay for your behavior." The group of crooks saw her face and they knew that she was not kidding. The only way for them to save their gear was to do something they never had to do. They did the act that every player in the future called, the cowards waterworks run. They all left crying their eyes out, running like the devil was on hot on their heels.

"Oh, well they were pushovers. What a sheer disappointment." Asuna mentioned as she again touched her bracelet and the rapier disappeared once again. "See I told you my mommy was tough!" Yui told the other kids, and they began to all laugh really hard.


	21. Chapter 21

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

The people that they managed to protect were indeed grateful, they provided them with a meal and nice cup of juice. It was only that the kids in the orphanage probably at what they gave them for the entire day. The kids were fed, but not to what you might say not suffering from hunger at the end of the day. The nun's name was Silvia, and she was also happy that those thugs had not done something horrible to the kids or her for that matter. Kirito did not like the way things were, and Silvia explained that any money they received the "Army" would just jump at the chance to take it, with the excuse of taxes. "But don't they have an exclusive dungeon underneath their headquarters?" asked Asuna. Silvia looked surprised that someone from another floor knew that. "That is common knowledge here on this floor, but no body tells anyone in higher floors. They don't want the orange guilds or the Knights of the Blood Oath learning about it. If the orange guilds knew they would be constantly attacked to steal things from them. But if the knights knew they would demand free access for everyone. This would severely limit their income, and their officers like their creature comforts." Silvia explained. "They are responsible of managing the prison. What comforts are we talking about?" asked Yui. Kirito told his daughter to go outside and play with the kids, but to make sure to protect them. Yui was happy to go out and play. "Sure thing, daddy. I will keep the meanies away!"

As they where left to talk about it, Silvia blushed as she started to talk to them. "The management of the prison is a lie. They use the prisoner as slave labor to get resources from the dungeon beneath their headquarters. This tends to cause the prisoners deaths, but they don't care. Desperate players will do a lot things that they normally wouldn't out of sheer hunger. The comfort that the officers enjoy is that they use the extra resources to make their living quarters extremely nice, and the shameful part they hire starving players to service them sexually. Some of the officers have their own private harem, made possible by the heavy taxes."

A young woman walking towards them from the entrance to the orphanage heard it all. "I would normally would like to say that is not true, but even I know that is true. The days of the Aincrad Liberation Front being a noble minded guild all went down hill when a player named Kibao joined us. My name is Yulier one of the officers, I would like to talk to the people responsible for the incident that happened with our men earlier." Kirito stood up and started to hold his blades. "Now there is no need for that. I am not hear to fight. Far from it I came here to thank you for your actions. I also find myself in need of powerful players for a personal matter."

Yui appeared running towards them, almost breathing hard. "Daddy, some lady sneaked into the church. I was having fun with the other kids. I am sorry, Daddy." Kirito relaxed and walked over to her, patting her head he told her that it was alright. "My name is Kirito, this is my lovely daughter Yui, and the love of my life who is currently sitting is Asuna. I believe you already know Silvia the matron of this orphanage." Kirito took a nearby chair and allowed her to sit first then he sat down. She thanked him. "I would like to ask you how is it that you are so powerful and what is your guild so I may thank your guild master." Kirito looked at Asuna and she nodded her head. "I am head of the combat divison, and my beloved Asuna is the vice commander." They both deactivated their bracelets. For the first time she saw what he was going to grab. The two swords were impressive. "As you might know from our uniform we are from the Knights of the Blood Oath. Here on orders to investigate the possible player abuse on this floor, and the existence of the dungeon beneath your headquarters." Yulier began to laugh really hard, now it made perfect sense. "It was only time before your guild found out about it. That idiot Kibaou believed that he was keeping your guild and others in the dark." Asuna simply told her that the truth always comes out eventually. "You can not hide the sun with your thumb after all." Kirito mentioned and made Yui laugh.

"This makes matter much easier, indeed I want you to expose the existence of the dungeon, and what is happening in the prison. The matter however is more severe and personal. The guild master Thinker is trapped in the very dungeon you want to know about." Asuna looked surprised, "Thinker was always a kind, trusting and honorable person. Kibao arranged for them to meet in private in the dungeon. He requested for him to go unarmed as a show of good faith. But he left him down there alone, and is now pushing to take over the position of guild master. You heard and seen what happened with him as an officer can you imagine the damage he could cause as it's leader?" Yui looked at her more closely. "You should tell my daddy and mommy everything. Crying would help too." Asuna asked her daughter what she meant then she told her that Yulier was trying very hard not to cry. Yulier stopped trying and tears that had been held back began to flow. "The guild master is my husband. He had been trapped there for so long with no food, water, surrounded by monsters. Some of the others want to give up looking but I can't! I feel like my life is a living hell thinking on the horrors my beloved is suffering and I can't do a thing about it! Please you two are strong, please I beg you help me save the man I love!" The parents could not help but to feel this was a trap. They were willing to believe anything was possible to keep something so damaging a secret. Yui told her mommy that it was alright, she could tell that Yulier was very distressed by the condition of her missing husband. Asuna believed her daughter she was a consular after all.

"Well today is obviously too late for us to go, but early in the morning we will go with you to the dungeon. Now we need to return to our room and get things ready for a rescue mission as well." The family left as they came in. Her daddy and mommy turned on the bracelet before leaving the room. Yulier and Silvia talked about what they had endured by the actions of Kibao and his thugs. The couple was getting some healing items ready, emergency rations, and some teleport crystals ready. They had to be ready for anything. "Kirito what do you think will happen when this info gets to the council?" Kirito laying down on the bed looked at the ceiling. "My guess is that the big guild leaders will meet with the council. They will more than likely call for either the end to the "Army" and have the moral members join an existing guild. The management of the prison would be granted to someone everyone trusted, but strong enough to prevent break outs." Asuna took her place next to Kirito, turning to her side she embraced him. "We will deal with it when it happens, for now lets sleep. We have a long day ahead of us."

The very next morning the family was greeted by Yulier. She asked if they would want to leave Yui with Silvia it was a dangerous place they were going to after all. Both parents laughed at the notion. "You might rethink that after you see what my little girl can do! She is a warrior and you will see that for yourself." They walked to a secret entrance to the dungeon and saw a room full of really tough monsters. Much tougher than she believed she was able to kill. "Alright Yui, this should be a nice warm-up for you. Go on and enjoy it, next one is mommy and then mine!" Yulier was going to say something to stop her, but she saw the sheer look of joy on Yui's face. Yulier watched as Yui alone cleared an entire room full of monsters. "See what I mean, and that was nothing." Kirito told Yulier. He was right if this was nothing, then rescuing her beloved husband would be a snap. "Kirito, Yui how many times do I have to tell you not to underestimate the enemy?" Asuna asked as she was worried about her family. "One more time than the last time we went to the dungeon. Relax, Asuna. We now what we are doing. It was just to ease Yulier's worries after all." Asuna understood, but she did not want to be caught unaware of a possible trap.


	22. Chapter 22

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Kirito was having an absolute blast. Here he was against overwhelming odds and he had the perfect excuse to let go of all the restraints and restrictions he had placed on himself. He could never let go and use his skills to the maximum of what he could do. He always needed to hold back, never show what he was capable off. The idea was to make any hidden red or orange player fall into a fall sense of superiority. To catch the enemy unaware was the best strategy to deal with an enemy like that. In truth he never trusted Rosalia at all. But the old saying always proved to be true, keep your friend close, but your enemies closer. He was slowly collecting evidence of her criminal activities, but her communications with the criminal guilds gave him the information that was in immediate need. The locations of the criminal guild headquarters. This proved to be invaluable as to slowly but surely bring down every single criminal guild. He wore a white armor and helm with a sword and shield. It had an almost angelic look to it. Using this armor he hid his identity he was called the avenging angel. This player would suddenly show up to a criminal guild headquarters and arrest or kill all the leadership of the guild. This cause in effect for that guild to be thrown into complete disarray. In the chaos he arrested everyone else. For this sole reason had Rosalia been allowed to remain out of prison, her unwilling and unaware aid was her only real worth to Kirito.

Asuna and Yui were smiling and even Yulier was looking at them in sheer surprise. "Aren't you going to help your husband Asuna?" Asuna simply laughed, "Help him? and ruin his fun? Oh, trust me if he was in need of help I would jump in there, but right now he is just cutting lose and having fun. You haven't seen him fight seriously yet." Yui added to her comment, "My papa is super strong, these weaklings are nothing to him. Heck, even I can kill enemies as week as this." Asuna hugged her and kissed her cheek. "That's right, my precious little girl is quite the swords woman. With us as parents what else would she be?" Yulier did not understand how could so many people were still trying to enter into a relationship with Asuna. It was clear as day that Kirito and Yui were her family, and she was completely committed to in this family. She was the loving wife to Kirito and loving mother to Yui. The whole way they interacted it was clear that they were indeed a very happy family. As Yulier was not even paying attention to where she was going she tripped and almost fell down, but as she got up she saw Kirito killing a new batch of monsters. It was then that he saw something strange, why was it that it almost felt like she saw this happen once before. She of course did not remember that she was rescued by Kirito once from a group of orange players that held her for ransom. But it was impossible that Kirito was the avenging angel. He was busy with his duties as a high ranking officer in the Knights of the Blood Oath.

Asuna asked if they were anywhere near Thinker's position but as she was about to look at his position on the map a person shouted her name. It was Thinker in a safe zone, and then she did the most stupid thing ever. She ran like a person running for dear life towards him, and again she made the error of this time activating a trap. A giant reaper monster appeared ready to take her head off with his scythe. Kirito in a rush blocked the scythe and told them to run to the safe zone. He needed get this situation cleared. He looked at the floor level indication and saw they were on the 46 floor and this was clearly a level 79 monster this had got to be an error. As the group ran towards the safe zone it was heard that Kirito was making some horrible noises well all except for Asuna and Yui who just looked at the monster with a look of pity. He was just stunned from the looks of it.

Kirito had decided to talk with the monster, "Ralph, can you please tell me what in all damnations are you on this floor?" The reaper stopped, "Wait a minute you know me? You know our language?" Kirito looked at him with a look of sheer loathing. "Of course I understand you, Ralph you are level 79 you are 33 levels higher than what you are suppose to be tell me why are you here?" The reaper looked at him smug, "And who are you to boss me around?" Kirito took weapons and placed them back in their corresponding place. "Who am I... You dare to ask me who am I.. Very well I have been missing for a little while so I will overlook your insubordination. I am Kirito they crimson eyed fiend. I am the captain of his majesties the Red King's royal guard. To make it worse I am your godfather you ungrateful little runt!" Ralph could hardly believe it, this was his long lost godfather. Did he know that his godmother Velvet was dead? was one of the question in his mind. "If you are my godfather tell me something that only I wold know?" Well that was not an unexpected question. "Alright, when you were a little boy you wore this absolutely hideous all orange clothes, and you would go around making promises that you never kept. You would always scream some nonsense like I promise I will keep my word, Believe it! The trouble you caused made your mother so sick that she had to be rushed to a healer for malnutrition. But if you don't believe me with all that you were still wetting your bed till you were 10 years old!" Ralph stepped closed, "Ok, alright already please no more embarrassing details about my childhood. Have a little pity on your godson."

"Why are you on this floor?" Kirito asked and he looked at him ashamed. "I was on my way to a lower floor, I was trying to avoid most of the people of the villages around here. My wife left me for a younger guy. I just came from the divorce court." Kirito would understand why he was so upset. "No reason to take it out on a defenseless invader is it?" Ralph understood where his godfather was coming from. "I would apologize but I don't speak the invader language. I never understood how you can or even bother. If there was nothing else may I go down the floors to my assigned post? Did you hear want happened to my godmother by the way?" Kirito saw the scythe banish and smiled, "Sure, but try to be professional, as a reaper you appear before top orange and red player. Yes I know what happened I was there when she passed on. Don't worry I will make sure to explain to the lady about it, so behave and send your letters to my family, they will make certain I get them if they can."

Ralph became Kirito's size and hugged him. "I will, and I am really happy to see again godfather. I am sure my parents will be very glad to know you are alive and well." Ralph left Kirito and disappeared from view. He walked to a laughing Yui, and a very embarrassed Asuna. "Well you know kids always trying to play a prank. Do forgive Ralph he simply was having a bad day." Yulier was the first person to ask, "Kirito you understand and can talk the language of monsters?" Thinker did not want to ask it would seem like prying. "Sure, my whole family can why? Is it really that hard to believe? You study monsters as much as my family has it would be weird not to know it." Yui looked at her father it was clearly a bluff, but she agreed on what her papa had said. What really caught her attention was a slab of stone where the women in the group were siting. It was a system terminal, this could be the thing she needed to ensure that she could be with her daddy in the other world.

Waited for Thinker and Yulier to thank Kirito and his family for their help. They promised to always be willing to help them too. As they left via teleport crystals, Yui ran to the stop tablet. She made a keyboard marking appear. She made an alteration to they data around herself and made a perfect copy of her mind to reside in the memory of Kirito's Nerve Gear. She told her father and he promised that somehow he would find a way for the family to be always together. It may take time, but he would find a way for their daughter to be able to exist in both world. Come and go as her parents could. This made Yui very glad, and secretly Cardinal was happy as well. She had secretly helped Yui to achieve her present goal at the very least.


	23. Chapter 23

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

After their rescue was a success they all went to the orphanage to make sure that, there Silvia did her best to give Thinker a full check-up. The only things she noted were malnutrition and lack of sleep. These things were simply to treat. She provided a room for Thinker and his wife, and made sure to cook a specially hardy meal. The only thing that she did say was not to ask where the meat came from. Apparently Kirito had a ton of monster meat, and he gave it to her to help her food supply. After the all ate a healthy, tasty stew one of the kids did the thing he specifically asked them not to do. He asked where the meat came from. He had to tell the kid that it was scavenged toad meat. Asuna was going to ask for seconds, but did not when she heard that. Yui did have seconds, she simply told them that there are worse things to eat in Aincrad.

In a matter of 2 days Thinker had regained some color to his face, and was fine enough to be grilled about how he ended up there in the first place. "Kibaou one of the guild members wanted to have a private meeting, and he chose that place to ensure privacy. He also asked me to go unarmed as a show of good faith. I met him but he was armed, and with several of his followers. He took all my crystals and left me for dead in the dungeon. Somehow I managed to crawl to that safe zone." Kirito was not amused at all. "Do you know about the guild called laughing coffins?" Kirito asked Thinker, he of course knew the murder guild, who didn't. "But what does that band of psychos have to do with this?" Thinker asked. "My division deals with player killers most of the time, so we have a register with the names of all the player killers known. Kibao the person in your guild is suspected of being the second in command of laughing coffins."

The look on both Thinker's and Yulier's face was of absolute shock. They had not even considered that Kibao was a player killer, and not only that. He was a high rank with the murder guild. The place was known to be full of psychos, and their leader had been known to publicly write a memoradum. In it he said that he did not believed that people who die in Aincrad, died in real life. He said that killing players was the quickest way to save the player from being trapped in Aincrad, so he considered player killing to be not murder but salvation. Kirito explained that Kayaba had absolutely been serious and true about the way the nerve gear could cause a person to die. "He already achieved his goal, so he would not need to lie at all. Kibao probably joined your guild to try and take it over, and from within send more and more people on impossible missions to die."

Thinker was remembering all the missions that Kibao had ever organized, and it was true. All of them had massive casualties. Sometimes entire parties were wiped out, and some others only his subordinate returned making some pathetic excuse. But if Kibao was in his guild, could other player killers be in other guilds? He did not like the looks of it, how was he or anyone going to be able to trust people if that was the case. "You are probably thinking that if what I said is true, then players would no longer trust each other? and you are right. I believe that is the reason they are doing this. To make the players more unorganized and panic stricken. This would lead to more deaths, and in the view of their leader that is what he wants."

Thinker finally spoke and with anger in his voice he said, "But that is simply insane. It is complete disregard the value of another person's life. How can they live with themselves doing that?" Kirito simply looked at him in the eye, "They can because deep down inside they are empty. They are hollow with no conscience or remorse at all. Eventually they will either turn on each other or commit suicide if the guild manages to kill all of us players. That is why my division fights them, and that is why we send them to your prison. No matter how much they beg for us to let them go. Your guild needs to get stronger, and so do your players. Without you we will have massive prison breaks, and the orange guilds would never fear getting caught. My division may catch them all, but without a strong guild to manage the prison it becomes meaningless."

Thinker promised that as soon as he figured a way to make his guild players stronger, he would. Kirito did not like to waste time so he gave him a training schedule. It was the schedule he invented, and it was a safe and effective way for players to become stronger. He also gave him a book that would update with the names of known player killers. He told them to never train these people, but use his schedule to be stronger. Thinker thanked Kirito for his rescue, and Yulier thanked Asuna and Yui too. As the family left through the teleport portal, they both realized that they had a lot of work ahead of them, but together they could achieve it.

"So Kirito how was your rescue mission? did you achieve all mission objective?" Heathcliff asked him and with his usual way, he looked at him with a stoic look and told him that it was complete. This was the person Kayaba was missing all since he started the guild. This was the ever dedicate knight that made his rule a much easier prospect. The man who not only became leader of his royal guard, but earned the respect of the entire royal guard. But he also knew that he would have another mission, and that was to gather allies, for eventually he would need those allies to unmask him. Kirito was that kind of a man, he could never stand to see a crook not receive his or her punishment and would always defend the innocent. He almost wanted to be able to leave this world to him, as his successor to the throne, but his success would also mean that the many people who were currently trapped would one day be free, and the day he died the program that allowed them to be there would be erased. The company would never allow it to continue to exist, to wipe away any evidence of people dying. This was the companies way to avoid lawsuits, and blame.

"Very well, Kirito. The jailers will now be ready to truly do their duty. How long till they are ready?" Kirito began to do numbers and calculations in his mind. "One month, if they follow my guidelines, they will be ready in one month." The leader smiled, "Overachiever like always, lets give them 2 months to be sure. Once we know their ready the hunt for laughing coffins and the other orange guilds can begin in earnest. In 2 months you will be very busy, might as well as train and enjoy your family while you still have some time."


	24. Chapter 24

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Several days after his return and public exposer to his real goals Kibaou was found guilty of causing the deaths of many of their members and weakening the prison by placing weak guards. To his credit Kibaou did not even try to make an excuse, not that he could. The man from the Knights of the Blood Oath had given Thinker enough evidence to make the case ironclad. He told everyone that he did not give a damn about the player's who died, it meant that they were weak and all he cared about was his rewards by the leader of laughing coffin for each idiot he managed to send to his or her death. He was sent to a solitary confinement cell for the remainder of the game, but this too proved to be useless. Thinker did not want to believe that his member's had been so unprepared for their duties as guards. I mean the prisoners had no weapons, how much of a risk could they prove. The escape by Kibaou and several other laughing coffins members using improvised weapons proved how wrong he was. They each turned a bed into their weapon. They managed to treat the bed as lumber. They broke it up and taking nails from it they picked the locks on their cells. I guess having lumberjack skills was not always such a waste of time after all. With clubs in hand they managed to catch the guards by surprise and killed them, and released a total of 12 of their fellow members. This had served as a final wake up call, and decided to follow Kirito's training plan to the letter.

2 months had gone by, and the people stopped making fun of the Aincrad Liberation Front, or the Army. The group really was a well disciplined, highly trained, and truly motivating fighting force. The army even started to have enough income to actually help the people on the first floor. As soon as the people saw that the weak and pathetic army managed to get so strong, they did the exact thing Kirito had imagined but never mentioned. They volunteered to join the army by large numbers. In 1 month after the training of the first group was done, every non merchant player had joined the army. The training was treated as boot camp, and every member had to go through it as they joined. Some of the officers even took on the position of drill instructors. Some people even laughed that maybe these guys were Marines from the US. But the training did not leave them enough time or stamina to make those sort of comment for long. The graduation speech by Thinker always ended with, "If you can survive our little hell camp, I don't see how you can possibly let this place intimidate you. But so help me if I hear 1 of you are slacking, I will have you all do this camp all over again." Thinker could have sworn that this last words scared the people hearing them, more than the death game.

Kirito had been doing his job, maintained the training of the members, visit his wife the vice-commander under the pretense of delivering reports, talked to the vice-commander's new aide. Meaning he also spent a little time with his precious daughter Yui. Heathcliff was happier than he had ever been, he felt that the troops were in good shape, and that made his world a lot nicer, and organized. If there was something he hated was a disorganized living environment. Having the captain of his royal guard had been a true blessing, but he did not like Rosalia's recent activities. She was doing things that counter the intentions of his captain. For some weird reason this really made the Red King angry as all hell. Having administrator privileges he knew exactly every thing the lying aide was up to. But he could not expose her without having Kirito have one more piece of evidence to expose him as the Kayaba. He was going to let Kirito expose him, but he was not about to make the job of it easy by any means.

Yui had some top level administrator privileges though, and he could pass the information through his unofficial daughter, cardinal. But this line of thinking always ended up with him being exposed and Aincrad being rushed to the final battle between the hero and the villain mastermind. He did not want to rush the progression through his world. After all it was implied that at the end either Kirito or him would die in the end. Heathcliff had learned to truly like, and even consider Kirito his only real friend. Anything that made it possible for him to continue to have fun with his buddy, was more than welcomed.

But not all wishes come true, and Rosalia was being even more obvious with her attempts to seduce her boss. The other member's of his division stop even caring about it. Then one of them finally said, "It will be a cold, and snowy day in hell before Kirito gets seduced by a tramp like you!" One of the most dedicated lady members of his division told Rosalia as she walked in an outfit that would embarrassed the cheapest of prostitutes. "His precious wife can't be with him all the time, I am sure he will succumb to the desires of the flesh soon enough." Rosalia told her as she left laughing. This was the day that Rosalia gained a shadow. This lady had been the aide to the previous leader of their division. She initially hated Kirito for taking the position away from her friend. Deep down she was a very practical woman, and when the results began to be noticed, she became one of his unspoken supporters. So she followed Rosalia for nearly 2 months, and in that time he had enough evidence, testimonies, and reports to choke a floor boss. She sent all the information to Kirito, of course as an anonymous contribution.

The day Rosalia should have dressed with more clothes finally came to pass. The feeling in the office of Kirito was so cold, that it made the ice fields of some of the floors below seem quite warm by comparison. "You called my dearest leader? How can I your humble aide provide you with anything you may desire?" Rosalia was always quite stubborn. Some would call her a natural born blockhead. "Rosalia, I good that you came by. I have a few things that I would like to discuss with you." Kirito told her with a smile on his face but his hair hid his cold glare in his eyes. "Oh, of course I always have time for you. What could it possibly be that you needed me in your office so early in the morning? What could I possibly do to make your life that much better?" Rosalia went and sat down on the chair in front of his desk. She even attempted to do a scene from a movie she had seen. It was a classic, but how lewd could she get practically flashing her private areas as she crossed her leg. "We will see, first of mind telling me what you have been doing this past month?"

Rosalia used her standard lie that she was doing paperwork like always. She of course did no such thing, she had seduced a low member of a craft guild to do that for her. He was now sure that the information had been true. He went to talk about said paperwork, and how it had many irregularities, and even onto her personal travel schedule. The more lies she told the more she began to feel that she was digging herself a new grave. "Sir, Why the interrogation? Have I not done everything you desired of me? Have I not been always there ready to help you?" Rosalia trying desperately to stop the questions with a last attempt at seduction. "Well, Rosalia did you know that I implemented a secret monitor for all the mail in our entire guild. You know the saying loose lips sink ships." Rosalia was losing the color on her face as she heard him. "So you can imagine my surprise when I received not 1 but nearly a hundred letters that you send to known orange guild members." Rosalia was sure that this was not good for her. "But you never even mentioned this, had it been a secret infiltration of yours to try and capture them that would have been one thing, but this made you look very suspect. So Rosalia do you happen to know where the headquarters of the laughing coffins are? Or should I take this evidence as your treason of the guild?"

Rosalia knew that if she told him the location, PoH would have her head for sure. But the things he could do to her were much worse than death. She debated in her mind which would be the most beneficial decision. To rat out the killers guild or to stay quite hoping that they would rescue her. "Don't bother answering, it was a rhetorical question. I know that the headquarters are in the 69 floor in the dungeon under the army's headquarters. I had Kibaou followed after his escape." Rosalia looked really pissed as she heard that. "Then why the questions? Why not simply expose me to all the guild? or was it that you wanted to see me in private?" Kirito laughed in such a cruel and cold fashion that it stopped her from saying another thing. "Oh, I wanted to give you the benefit of allowing you to do the right thing. Had you told me the truth, I might have been allowed you to stay. A good spy is always hard to find after all. But the one thing one must have to want to keep that spy is Loyalty. If the spy is a double agent, how can someone trust said spy? And no Rosalia we are not alone, you felt that cold did you not? Did you know that people's perceptions tend to be not so accurate in extreme cold places.. You are currently surrounded by all the council and you did not even notice it." At a snap of his fingers everyone appeared as soon as the room temperature returned to normal. "Well, Sachi it seems your information was true after all. I guess this was your attempt at an apology, don't worry I hold no grudges over the remaining members of the black cats." Sachi was very happy to hear that, it was amazing how some true training changed a person's physical appearance. The former cute member of the black cats had become the confident and strong member of his division. "So commander what punishment should we give this traitor? I move towards a public execution. But as always your choice shall be followed." Kirito told Heathcliff as he entered the room. "Well, Kirito I know where you are coming from, believe me that some of our members would enjoy that. But justice must be served, and such I believe that sending her to prison to be with her fellow criminals is much better punishment. The prison guards are ready are they not?" Kirito smiled as he saw Rosalia ready to cry at what she heard. "Of course they are, sir. Ahead of schedule I might add. Thinker has been a real trooper in getting his guards trained."

Healthcliff looked at Rosalia and with a sneer he declared his sentence. "For treason against the players and this guild you are sentenced to remain in prison in the general populace section till the end of this game. Your col and all your belongings shall be gathered, divided and given to the spouses of your victims. As leader of this guild I do command this, and it shall be so!" Rosalia pleaded that she be forgiven, she offered Heathcliff to be his personal love slave, she offered the council all her col and her own body for them to use, she offered the same to Kirito even to give him a child in the real world. It all fell in deft ears. Nothing worked, and she knew it. She could not live in that prison surrounded by the orange guild members that would be a death sentence. So she did the only thing she could. Out of her inventory she took out a rather cruel looking dagger and attacked Kirito, he simply struck the blade with one of his swords so quick they did not even see him move, the dagger went flying into the air and was seen striking her right between her breasts. The look of shock and fear was the last thing anyone saw as she died. Sachi simply said, "He is the head of her division, and it specialized in combat. How dumb can you be to think you could catch him unaware." Kirito toucher her shoulder. "Well I am in need of a new aide, Well Sachi do you believe that you can do the job better than your predecessor?" Sachi looked completely happy, "Sir, Yes Sir!"


	25. Chapter 25

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

The time for peace had come to an end for the criminal guilds, or at least the time for them feel real fear had finally come. The Knights of the Blood Oath took to their arms and went to systematically hunt all criminal guilds. In 1 solid month the guild had trapped, captured or outright killed entire criminal guilds. The laughing coffins was the very last guild. They were definitely feeling the pressure. They knew that it was a matter of time before they found out where their organization called their headquarters. Kibaou being the foul man that he was he was sure that he could end the threat by killing Kirito. Without him the rest would be too afraid to do anything. PoH was not as foolish as Kibaou and knew that if he was so easy to kill, someone would already have done it. No he needed to make his records within the guild disappear and make sure his connection to the guild was severed and he was safe. He even thought about sending the location of the headquarters and guild defenses if they would offer him immunity. But he knew better than that. He knew that Kirito was not one to forgive or forget criminals. His ruthless efficiency was one of the things that made him respect Kirito after all.

The thing was that they already knew where their headquarters was. Rosalia being the overconfident fool had been the perfect way to find the guild headquarters of every criminal guild. Kirito and his division just showed up when they would have their regular meeting and either they arrested the people or had to kill in in self-defense. Yui still had some administrator privileges thanks to her original training as a mental health coordinator. She could in theory know everything that the players felt and did, and had access to every player in the entire castle. She was perfect in scheduling the little surprise visit by Kirito's division. The criminals ranged from plain greedy to absolutely psycho. The greedy players loved money and the ability to someday return to their normal lives way to much to even put up a fight. The real psychos loved the chance to kill someone more than they cared about a minor thing like life. The worst of the worst had an absolute belief in themselves, that they believed that either they were the hand of god or that they were so powerful that no one could defeat them. Pride comes before the fall, or so the saying goes. It proved to be true. Kirito alone killed his fair share of these psychos and did not even feel a bit sad or guilty.

The last surprise meeting of laughing coffins had a few dozen heavy armed Knights of the Blood Oath, and PoH was unusually missing from the meeting. Kibaou did his best to make it sound like, he was more than enough to deal with a brat like Kirito. He simply jumped on top of the desk where the officers of the guild were about to hold their meeting. He made a simple and effective bet, if he beat their best fighter the guild members surrender and goes to prison till the game was cleared, if he lost he would die and the guild would be removed of the list of criminal guilds. Kibaou overconfident demanded that Asuna and Yui become his personal sex slaves if he beat Kirito. The member's of his division saw the look that he had on his face when the idiot said it. They had been sure that Kibaou was idiotic, but to say something like that to Kirito he was also suicidal. It did not matter who it was, no one messed with their leader's family and did not pay the price.

Kirito simply waited for the idiot to try and attack him. The duel was agreed to by his second in command. The leader only made it a duel to the death. As Kibaou took his weapon in hand and charged him, Kirito took out both of this swords and they began to glow. When they were bright and Kibaou was very near Kirito was heard screaming, "**Star Burst Stream**!" He launched into the motions and attacked Kibaou in a long and quick combo attack. Kibaou went from smiling, to frighten, to crying, and finally to the face of sheer horror. In a matter of 1 minute Kirito had struck him with a 50 hit combo, destroyed his armor, weapon and he was only in his underwear as he collapsed on the floor after the combo was done. "No way in hell." Kibaou was heard whispering as he slowly began to shatter into pieces and in seconds there was nothing left of him. Kibaou's defeat caused the entire guild to surrender. They might be killers but they were not suicidal.

Kirito walked to where the people where gathered and Sachi used the teleport crystal. She had heard about sending some criminals to the wrong prison by mistake. The players were sent into the processing cells of the prison. Thinker and his guild had become the perfect guards, incorruptible, absolutely loyal, and with not an ounce of pity or mercy towards the prisoners. Thinker himself saw that these criminals pay for their crimes, by reducing their assigned food intake to a bare minimum. Hunger was a good way to make people obey the prison rules after all. To those that disobeyed too many times they were assigned a number of floors they had to clear in the underground dungeon. After one prison described the horrors that were in that dungeon. The times they had to do that were rare, but they did have to do that. It even caused the death of one of the prisoners believing that he would be able to keep the items he obtained, and make better gear for himself and his fellow criminals. This was set right by Thinker explaining to the surviving friends of the fool. "The items are sold, and the money will go towards your victims. You will not be allowed to keep a single col or item. If you try and hide it we will know and will not be allowed to exit the dungeon. So try it and you will end up like that fool."

Heathcliff was happy, and I mean really happy. Without criminals now was the time to focus on clearing higher floors. The time for the final fight against Kirito was drawing closer. This made him really happy and excited. Most people believed that he was excited to finally clearing the game and saving the players from the death game. Kirito had a full network of information brokers and merchants look at every action Heathcliff did. He would unmask him soon. Yui also helped by proving a log of all the man's activities to her daddy. "No matter how hard someone tries to hide it, the truth always comes out." He had earned the loyalty of his entire division, and thanks to Asuna he was seen as an incredibly honest and honorable person by the other divisions. The last details were being prepared. He pretty much just needed a place to catch him by surprise.

Heathcliff announced to the entire guild that they exploration and floor clearing operations would resume immediately. Thanks to the training by Kirito the guild was expected to clear the 80th floor by the end of the month. That was only 9 days to finish a lot of hard floors. Kirito knew that Heathcliff would put on the pressure to clear floors fast, but the amount made it clear, he intends to get rid of some of the members to prepare for the fight he would organize as the final battle. But Kirito was not going to let him get away with it. He decided to try and expose him somewhere in the 80th floor. It was going to be before they even reached the 90th floor for certain.


	26. Chapter 26

I do not own sword art online anime, manga or other released works

Kirito felt that his life was pretty good considering. He had a good job, loyal people that actually listened to what he said and the actually worked towards a common goal. His new aide was not the lazy, whiny excuse maker that Rosalia had been and made his work very much more organized and all around more tolerable for him. His boss gave him plenty of chances to really make his division shine. To make matters better the more they did the easier it was for him to find evidence against Heathcliff. In a few more floors he would have an air tight case against him, and there would no chance for him to escape. Heathcliff was actually helping him by leaving the symbolic bread crumbs for him to follow. He wanted Kirito to expose him, and having their final battle. But he was not going to make it easy either, where is the fun in that so he told himself. Make it easier but not easy, leave clues but not make him think hard to decipher them.

Kirito had to step up his training program after the last floor boss, and so did his troops. This made them silently curse their luck, some even joked that Kirito's training would be the death of them long before the game. Those that knew better did not even joked, if Kirito had to step up their training program, they could only imagine how hard was his. Kirito lead his man with not only his word, but with example. If he made them kill a few hundred monster is because he was killing a few thousand of the same monsters or hundreds monsters tougher than they had to kill. Asuna was as always very professional in all the meetings with the council, but as soon as they were alone together she would drop the cold behavior and would take him in her arms. She was seriously worried that her beloved husband was pushing himself too hard. Yui had take to miss lunches so that she could try to get enough evidence on Heathcliff, cardinal had decided to take also a hand on approach to helping Kirito. Mysteriously a black crow would sometime appear out of nowhere and dropped a package on Kirito's lap and disappeared just as fast as it appeared. It where coded messages that he had to give to Yui to decipher. He could figure out the basic message, but the details were in language that was a little confusing. Yui explained that it was not a message the parts that he found confusing it was the code for a recording. Who ever had that crow familiar was sending him coded video recording of Heathcliff. Cardinal did her very best to keep these packets deliveries out of the logs or any other way that Heathcliff would find out about it.

It took nearly 2 years and Kirito losing 20 of his division for him to ask Heathcliff to organize a multi-guild task force to deal with the 85th floor boss. This boss had figured a way to separate the players and picked them off at it's leisure. He needed to find out who was doing this, and put a stop to it or he would be the only one left in his division before long. This floor boss was just that tough and that smart. He and Asuna decided to do some scouting of the floor to find the boss room. They had gone through most of the floor and had mapped 90% of the floor, so it was pretty easy to figure out where the boss room was. He decided to take a break and Asuna was happy. She had made one of her homemade picnic baskets, much to Kirito's joy. Kirito was glad to have married a loving, understanding, considerate, and tender young lady. But secretly he was also glad that she was a terrific mother to Yui, a lover with a bright mind and imagination, and last but not least could cook like there was no tomorrow. He never ever would complain about his beloved wife's cooking. His own monster mother used to joke and tell him that maybe she should ask her to teach her a few recipes. His father simply joked and also told him that it would make his retirement that much easier if she did.

"So Kirito do you think we have done enough for today? or do you really want to check the floor boss to see what kind of weapon he uses?" It was tempting but he did not want to risk his beloved Asuna, he knew that if some poor idiot tried to solo it, that she would just jump in and try to save the fool. "Maybe if I knew we were alone on this floor, but that is unlikely. These monsters provide good exp and col after all. I would really love a day off so that I can spend some more time with both you and Yui, not to mention that I really want to spend some quality time with you in our bedroom if you know what I mean." Asuna blushed at her husband. "We have been married for a while now, if you really want me to and we were alone we could make love right here." Just ask Kirito was about to answer a group of red armored players appeared, looking like they had been walking all day. He finally recognized the leader, Klein had formed his own guild by the looks of it, and it was a rather small one. "Kirito, still alive I see." Klein said smiling and walking to where the couple had been sitting. "Klein, can't believe you are still alive. Are you working hard or hardly working?" Klein was looking at him and laughing. "Still as antisocial as ever I see, and who is this beauty. Hi my name is Klein i am 24 still looking for a girlfriend." Kirito grabbed him by the neck and made him look at his glaring face. "Would you kindly not hit on my wife! That way I won't have to beat you till your armor breaks and leave you here unconscious and naked for a monster to have his way with you!" Klein was surprised by the sheer venom that he was hearing from Kirito he could tell he was not kidding. "Wait a minute, this beauty is your wife? How lucky can one guy get a great paying job, respected by almost all serious players here, and a drop dead beautiful wife. Some guys have all the luck." Kirito dropped him and he fell on his rear. "Maybe if you put it the hours of work I do you might find someone for yourself too." Klein got up laughing and told him where was the fun in being a workaholic in a game.

As they were about to call the day over and their final monster had been destroyed Kirito began to feel a familiar sensation deep within his heart, it was almost like a his brother was watching him from somewhere nearby. The funny thing was his brother was indeed watching him. "Well I sent him the most high level monsters on my floor, and he still won. My brother was not Captain of the Red King's guard for nothing. I wonder who that female invader was, it was almost like my brother found himself a new mate, after Velvet I was sure that he would never love anyone else. I guess you learned to forgive and move on. Too bad for you that I am the floor boss of this floor. You could never bring yourself to hurt me before, I wonder if you manage to get pass that too."

The blue eyed fiend was watching him, and when he saw Kirito leave the floor returned to his post in the boss room. He sat there waiting, and wishing for Kirito to hurry up and get into the room. He wanted to see how strong his brother had gotten. He was sure to put him through a real test, not unlike what they father had done. "If he wants to defeat me he will have to stop using that ridiculous disguise and use his full powers. I will make him see reason, and stop shaming our family by pretending to be one of those filthy invaders. He is a fiend and he should damn well behave like it!" Seeing his brother the one that he was so proud of look like the weak pathetic invaders made him feel sad, angry and ashamed. He would knock some sense into him, and he would regain the brother he was so proud of. His singular purpose was to make his brother regain his sanity. He consider his brother actions to be a form of dementia. What is a brother to do but try and help his brother out. His parents had tried to make him see that Kirito was as much a proud fiend as the rest of the family, regardless on how he looked like. His warrior heart and mind was intact, even if he looked different on the outside. The next fight would prove who was right, his parents or him, either way he was doing it to help his brother so what could be wrong about that.


End file.
